Simon Sinek is a favorite around here. We’ve written about him specifically in the past, and there’s a huge overlap in many of the themes we teach… This is a great addendum to some of the posts we’ve written in the past on listening, understanding, and seeing the other side. Simon’s advice, Be the last to speak. Take in all the information, ask questions to better understand, and listen to the feedback and questions of others.
But Sinek says the real skill is to reserve your own opinion till the end. Why? First, it let’s everyone else feel that they’ve been heard and that they’ve contributed. And second, it lets you hold back your own thoughts until you’ve heard everyone else’s, allowing you to form a more complete, better-formulated opinion.
There’s huge competitive advantage to listening first, understanding second, and then — after everyone else goes — being the last to speak.
Thanks for sharing this video – I love Simon Sinek too! I’m also a fan of Stephen Covey, and this is very similar to one of his habits of highly effective people . . . Seek First to Understand; then to be Understood. Although Stephen wrote his book over 25 years ago, the seven habits are still powerful lessons for everyone.