The Singing Scoutmaster: Power Of Listening, The

Scouts, here's a question: how many of you have ever been talking to someone and realized they weren't really listening? Maybe they were looking at their phone, or their eyes were wandering, or you could tell they were just waiting for you to stop talking so they could say what they wanted to say. How did that feel?

Now here's the harder question: how many of us have been that person - the one who wasn't really listening? Most of us have, and that's okay. Listening is a skill, and like any skill, it takes practice.

There's a big difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is just sound hitting your ears. Listening means you're actually trying to understand what the other person is saying and feeling. It means looking at them, not interrupting, and thinking about their words instead of planning what you'll say next.

The best leaders in history were almost always great listeners. They understood that you can't lead people if you don't understand them, and you can't understand them if you never truly listen. In your patrol, the leader who listens to everyone's ideas before making a decision will always earn more respect than the one who just gives orders.

Here's your challenge this week: pick one conversation each day and really listen. Don't think about your reply while the other person is talking. Just listen. When they're done, pause for a moment before you respond. You'll be amazed at how much more you hear - and how much more people trust you when they know you're really paying attention.