Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

Before we can offer advice, suggest solutions, or effectively interact with another person in any way, we must seek to deeply understand them and their perspective through empathic listening.

To listen empathically requires a fundamental paradigm shift. We typically seek first to be underst...

This habit is about listening to others with empathy and understanding before trying to communicate your own point of view.

It's about putting yourself in someone else's shoes and trying to see things from their perspective. When you seek first to understand, you're more li...

• Most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. You listen to yourself as you prepared in your mind what you are going to say, the questions you are going to ask, etc. You filter everything you hear through your life experiences, your frame of reference.

• Liste...