Active Listening = Supercharged Learning

By: A Staff Writer

Updated on: Jul 11, 2024

Active Listening = Supercharged Learning

Think you know everything about your industry? Arrogance is the enemy of innovation.

We fall into the confirmation bias trap, only listening to stuff that agrees with our existing beliefs.

• Seek out opposing viewpoints: Who disagrees with you? Understanding their logic makes YOURS stronger.
• Listen to adjacent industries: Solutions from other fields can be adapted to spark innovation in yours.
• Customer complaints are GOLD: It’s harsh, but it’s the unfiltered truth of how you’re perceived.
• New hire perspective: They see things with fresh eyes. What bottlenecks or inefficiencies stand out to them?
• ‘Dumb’ questions lead to breakthroughs: Ask the thing everyone assumes is obvious. Sometimes it’s not.
• Document your learnings: What insights emerge when you actively listen across various sources?

Where outside your usual bubble could you get valuable insights?

Have a conversation with someone who disagrees with you about something (politics, work, whatever). JUST listen.