Listening, a lost art....

I spend a great deal of my time listening....

I listen to business clients as they share their most treasured secrets; their fear of failure, their fear of change, and their fear of the great unknown.

I listen to community leaders as they struggle for answers to declining populations, to declining tax revenues, to businesses closing their doors on what was once a thriving Main Street, and a fear of the great unknown.

I listen to school superintendents as they lament the lack of funding, the lack of parental involvement, or worse, too much parental interference, the declining enrollment, and the fear of the great unknown.

I listen to young people who see too little opportunity in their future, too many obstacles between them and where they want to be, and a fear of the great unknown.

Of course you see the common thread is fear. Fear paralyzes our ability to act. Fear takes away our confidence so that we prefer the discomfort of where we are instead of the unknown, even though the unknown may hold great treasure.

So I listen, listen with all my heart and soul. And after I listen, I speak to what I've heard. If you've listened first, and truly heard what was being said, you've then earned the right to speak.....not before.

My job, as I see it, is to help people cope with their future and take away some of the unknowns. If we can get past the fear, the decisions become more manageable, the future less intimidating, and the course of action less uncertain. Whether you're a business owner, mayor, school principal, or student, we're all faced with tough decisions.

Conquering fear sometimes requires nothing more than a sympathetic ear; A friend to whom we can share our concerns and who does not pass judgment. Such friends are to be treasured. They help us through the tough times and are there to listen when we need to talk.

I get paid to listen, but to be honest, I'd do it for free and often do. My clients are just friends yet to be confirmed, and their well-being is important to me. I hope they feel the same, but as always, What do I Know.