The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I feel my anger rise like a wave of hotness surging through my body.
The previous sentence is my anger level when someone is not listening to me.
When I repeat something that I just said or the person I'm talking to seems to come up with a new thought that was actually uttered from my own lips mere seconds before I get mad.
So maybe someone is really angry with you and you can't pinpoint why. Think back to the last few interactions with them. Do you remember anything they said?
Our distracted world
Let's start with the most prevalent culprit known as distraction. The last meeting you attended how many people were on laptops or phones during the entire thing?
Whether you're in a meeting room or playroom with your kids think how your distracted behavior makes others feel; it's hurtful and disrespectful.
Making an ass of u and me
Did you know reading is mainly based on assumption? You've seen words on a page for 20-50 years depending on your age. When you open a book, magazine or read this blog you are flying down the page based on our familiarity with the written language.
You may not realize this same assumption tendancy happens in verbal interactions. Do you find yourself interrupting people or finishing a sentence for someone? Assumption!
But, when someone interrupts you doesn't it royally piss you off? You wanted to finish that thought! The best part of a story is the end after all.
End the contention
We can end many disagreements by giving our undivided attention to listening for information instead of waiting for an opening to speak.
When someone comes to you with a conflict make sure to listen and truly honor their feelings. Everyone matters.
You may learn something new or find out you believe the same things and are simply coming at the issue from different angles.