Being and Staying Present
I'm wondering about the invisible barriers we put between ourselves and others. Trying to have a conversation with a computer in-between us. Trying to stay focused in a Zoom call with a room full of distractions and notifications surrounding us. Are we really there? Are we really listening? Are we really present? In a training many years ago I was shown very plainly that I wasn't a good listener, though I would have rated listening as a core strength. That training was the beginning for me of learning how to become and stay present with other people, a practice that is central to my life. I've found that in business conversations that my ability to listen far surpasses in importance the ability to have a better argument. It pays off in a hundred ways in the depth of rapport I enjoy with my clients, the feeling of goodwill that presence generates, and the sense of regard that deep listening conveys. These are a few of my thoughts for the end-of-the-day Coffee Break on a ver