Some thinking person dropped a list of thoughts as to why people won’t listen to each other into my compound over the weekend. The list was compiled by someone called Hugh Mackay. I thought it was worth letting you know, not that I am implying my readers are bad listeners, but to assist them to understand me better!

People tend not to listen for the following reasons:

• Because they know we don’t listen to them.
• Because it is not relevant to their situation.
• Because we are attacking their basic beliefs.
• Because we talked about us and not them.
• Because they don’t trust us.
• Because we just said what we thought and no more.

People tend to listen:

• When they sense we are in touch with our own feelings.
• When they know we will always listen to them.
• When what we say is relevant to their situation.
• When all the messages we say are consistent with each other.
• When it is clear we have taken their feelings into account.
• When they have learned to trust us.

I shall try and lift my game forthwith.

Gibber! Gibber!

Chugley

The Feeling Chimp