Often when we are in conversation with someone it is a two-way thing, we share thoughts, ideas with each other and bounce things around. In short, both people are looking to share what is on their mind, they are there to both listen and talk.
However, sometimes we simply want to share our thoughts, to get them out of our heads, to “download”. This is so much easier and flowing when we are with someone who we know is there wholly and completely for us, in service of whatever you need to “talk out”.
One other layer is where the person listening does simply that, listen. They don’t give advice, they only listen, then listen some more. Often we work out what we need to work out simply by sharing our thoughts out loud with someone, we may have sat down with them thinking we may want their advice, but then find we’ve worked it out for themselves by some magic!
This is my professional role, that of sounding board, sometimes I am there to share my advice after listening to them, yet often being present and deeply listening is enough, the person works it out for themself.
Am reminded of this as I experienced it myself this week in a conversation in Cayman where I am a client of a professional service provider. I downloaded my thoughts as to the matter at hand, looking to brainstorm solutions with them. However, as I finished the download, I suddenly realised the solution simply by having shared the situation out loud with them!
So, when you have a challenge or opportunity to work out, find someone to listen to you.