Summary of The power of listening | William Ury | TEDxSanDiego

In the TEDx talk "The Power of Listening," William Ury emphasizes the critical role of listening in effective communication and negotiation. He argues that while society is filled with talking, Genuine Listening is often neglected, yet it is essential for understanding, connecting, and resolving conflicts.

Key Wellness Strategies and Self-Care Techniques:

Listening as a Core Skill: Ury advocates for teaching listening in schools as a fundamental skill, akin to reading.
Self-Reflection: Before engaging in important conversations, take a moment of silence to tune into your own feelings and thoughts. This helps clear the mind and prepares you to listen more effectively to others.
Genuine Listening: Focus on understanding the speaker's perspective, emotions, and underlying needs rather than preparing your response while they talk.

Productivity Tips:

Listen More Than You Speak: Strive to listen at least twice as much as you talk, which enhances understanding and rapport.
Build Rapport and Trust: Listening fosters a connection with others, showing that you care and are invested in their perspective.
Transform Relationships: By giving others the gift of being heard, you can significantly improve personal and professional relationships.

Methodologies:

Active Listening: Engage in Genuine Listening by tuning into the speaker’s frame of reference and looking beyond their words to grasp their emotions and needs.
Chain Reaction of Listening: Encourage a culture of listening where each person who feels heard is inspired to listen to others, creating a positive cycle.

Ury concludes with a vision of a world transformed by listening, where conflicts are resolved peacefully, relationships are strengthened, and communication becomes truly effective.

Presenters/Sources:

William Ury
Transcriber: Mary Kay
Reviewer: Denise RQ

Notable Quotes

— 00:51 — « I believe that listening is the missing half of communication. »

— 09:29 — « If we want to listen to the other side, we have to learn to listen to ourselves first. »

— 12:19 — « This is my dream. A listening revolution that can turn this Age of Communication into an Age of Listening. »

— 13:49 — « What if we had not just peace talks, but peace listens? »

— 15:17 — « One of the biggest gifts we can give anyone is the gift of being heard. »