Listen to understand not to reply
"Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." — Steven Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
It's quite common to see people in a conversation only waiting for the moment to talk about themselves or to share a story they've heard. Sometimes they don't recognize what the person just said and are barely paying attention to the other.
It's difficult to let go our egos and just listen to the other person with the intention to understand them. I started watching myself and it's been a good practice.
"For most people it is quite an unusual experience to have someone listen well with no purpose other than to understand their perspective, particularly on a contentious topic. "— Listening Well: The Art of Empathic Understanding. William R. Miller
