Listen to me!  That’s the sound of exasperation from a frustrated parent to a child, an assertive teacher to a recalcitrant student, or an aggressive coach to a poor performer.

We’re stumbling out of the wilderness years of COVID into an uncertain future and we are doing it our way, pushing ahead with what’s best for us.

Research indicates that most people consider themselves good listeners, but reality would suggest that most people only hear what they want to hear.  There has always been this sub-conscious filter that blocks out the stuff we thought we knew, or we didn’t want to hear.

Today, we are subjected to a blizzard of messages coming at us through an array of channels and our filters tune out the uninteresting or the irrelevant.   Add to that the confusion between fact and fiction, and one of the biggest challenges facing society becomes grabbing attention for what impacts quality of life and the future.

People need more stimulus to stop and listen.

Lack of listening tests the public relations and communications profession.  How do we cut through?

Active listening is an art form.  We teach it to graduates entering our firm.  Those who learn to listen always go a lot further a lot quicker.

You have to try to listen.  Good listeners are curious.  They actually want to know the facts behind the feelings.   They analyse what’s important to the speaker and why.  They feedback and check for understanding.

That’s the secret of good communication.  Listen. Learn. Feedback. Revise.

The opposite of political popularism.  Research. Reduce. Lock-on. Repeat.

Populists survey what is important to the greatest number of voters, reduce this to a simple chant,  lock onto that message and then stop listening.  Say it again and again until you and your constituents think it’s a vital fact.

That works for populists.  It gets votes, but it doesn’t improve society.  Populism rarely tackles the deeper issues that are important for people’s wellbeing.  If we learned to listen, we would more often reject the emptiness of political rhetoric and demand genuine discussion.

Snatching attention (or sometimes diverting attention) is often more important than the message.  Online it’s called click bait.  It manifests as the deceptive headline, the sensational video coverage or the brashest behaviour.

It is the loudest who are being heard.   As reality bites, people ask: Is there a solution to my predicament in what this person is saying?  I am not hearing one.  Are they listening to me?

Those who know how to listen are already sensing undertones and preparing for what could come next.  For those who just hear the noise, there could be a rude awakening.

Conscientious communicators must strive to be heard over the cacophony, not by shouting louder, but by listening, empathising and responding to real questions with honest answers.