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To listen more, to share knowledge less?

by | Nov 18, 2021 | Open Leadership, Self-Knowledge

Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens.

This week I am attending an event online and was asked to note my speciality, to which I simply wrote: “Listening”

Having come back from a short break and paused my daily posting for only the second time in a streak that has continued for well over 1400 posts, I’m musing on this. My break last weekend was about balance, including finding balance in conversation with family and friends around how much to listen, how much to speak, and, sometimes, how much knowledge to share.

Is there a cognitive bias called ‘cognitive bias bias’: the bias that because you know all about cognitive biases, you falsely believe you’re less prone to have biases.

A thought from the ever thoughtful Nick Parker in his latest weekly newsletter

As to knowledge, here I can use Nick Parker’s thought and note that yes, I am very much aware of (and have deeply studied) behavioural science (including cognitive biases) and, in the spirit of sharing what I have learned, have shared so much and so often around human behaviour (particularly in the context of leadership and communications) on this blog.

So, at this moment I am thinking about my own balance between knowledge speaks (most notably through my daily posts) and “wisdom listens” (which I do in many, many conversations, including (of course) with my clients. As I ease back into daily posting, I’m aware of the value of finding balance, so am considering ways I can listen more, and perhaps share knowledge less.

How do you find balance in this?