The Importance of Listening

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“In each case, thinking rhetorically means being flexible and fair, able to hear and consider varying—and sometimes conflicting—points of view”(8). Thinking rhetorically helps you see things in a larger context, changing your perspective. Which leads to having a more open mind when listening to others opinions. Developing this skill will benefit you in life whether it be in school, in your career, or just in life in general. After listening to the other persons views, it’s time to think about your own. If you examine all angles and possibilities of an issue it will make you think about your own beliefs and ideas. Once you take the time to think about your motivations and goals, you can reflect on them and think about your audiences’ motivations as well. Examining what you think and why helps challenge your own thoughts. As part of engaging in conversations and gaining other people’s knowledge to add to your own, you’ll want to give credit where credit is due. Acknowledging other people’s ideas with your own makes you sound more credible and shows you want to give credit to those who has influenced you. Especially when writing school essays, it is very important to give credit.

Overall, listening is a learning process that takes time to perfect. It is one of the most important aspects of the communication process. Many relationships would achieve heights that without listening skills would be impossible to reach. People would understand each other on a different level and learn to relate with one and other. It would help people be more compassionate and understand each other’s needs. Learning how to listen would be a small step that would bring us much closer to changing the world and the relationships in it.

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