There are few things that are more important than perceiving the world accurately (aka listening).
So why don’t you do a better job at it?
Two things come to mind:
- Limit cognitive resources. Your ‘full attention’ can not even process a singular stream of communication. (Selective Attention Example)
- The assumption that you understand (Heuristics and Bias Example)
The assumption gets you into trouble but it is not exactly the problem. In fact it is the (imperfect) solution to the problem of limited cognitive resources. The assumption allows you to allocate your limited resources effectively. It frees up resources to deal with other things. When you make accurate assumptions you are able to navigate the world much more effectively.
BUT what do you do when your assumptions are wrong? How will you know when they are wrong?
Start by adding in this assumption... You know far less than you think. Then follow the steps below
- Give just a little more attention than you think you need to.
- Next, have good triggers to help you understand when a deeper level of processing is needed.
- Finally, you need to build your listening skills (Dr Carmel Finnan can help with this)
#Heuristics #Semiotics #Tropes #Empathy #Listening