Three listeners within us..
In my entire training career I have never undergone a communication session which doesn’t have a focused “ Listening Skill” module .. Trainers assess listening skill with different psychometric assessments, sometimes by allowing candidates to listen each other or some recorded voice. Then most of the sessions have some great listening tips sharing with demonstration to inculcate the habit of listening.
As I wrote many a time that my favorite book is “ Mahabharata” which consists of probably the most read and heard collection of verses called “ Srimadvagabatha Gita “ which is considered as the “ Bhagaban ubach” means directly told by God , Lord Sri Krishna.
And who is the listener? Yes , Arjuna . This is the simplest answer.
Besides Arjuna there were two more listeners of these holy verses while spoken. One direct listener Sanjay the charioteer and companion of the blind Kuru King Dhritharashtra whose sons were the main opponent of Arjuna and his brothers. Sanjay was blessed to see, listen and narrate the Kurukshetra war to Dhritharastra. So the indirect listener was King Dhritharastra himself listened the entire Gita via Sanjay.
Arjuna the main listener of the verse actively listened to those as all of the verses were told to address his doubts . He listened, countered, asked and clarified doubts to reach to the desired conclusion which helped him to get into his future course of action with full body and mind.
The second direct listener Sanjay was only a media to narrate the war descriptions to his king and these value adding verses came to him as by-product. His job and intention were never to get any learning from those teachings. He just listened and passed it on to his master.
Last listener blind Dhristharastra listened the entire conversation from Sanjay disinterestedly as his main focus was to know the result of the war and his sons’ victory . Can be assumed that he was absolutely disturbed and wished that the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna to come to an end as early as possible. Can be assumed that he was thinking of the future and cursing the verses for making it delayed .
So with your all knowledge of these listeners and experience of attending different sessions what type of listener are you ?
All the three? Yes , may be depending on situation.
Which situation makes you a listener like Arjuna?
Yes , when something is said about your benefit or to answer your query or to clarify your doubt.
Then think and answer what is the use of all listening skill training sessions , modules because finally we will be listening to that which is useful or focused to us .
Rather should not we practice how to reach to that mental frame where we will consider challenges of our trainees, customers , colleagues , family members , friends problems as our problem may be then only we will be a listener like Arjuna during teaching of Sri Krishna .
It all starts within, isn’t it ?