In the area of communication, listening, understanding, and expressing ourselves is supreme. How much communication, though, is focused on seeing and observing? One of the most important things you can learn is how to observe. If you are good at it, you will notice people who are “on the fringes” of the conversation.
They cannot keep up with the flow of conversation for many reasons, though they want to. As a result, they may sit quietly, watching, listening, and becoming more frustrated as time passes.
You may have a friend or family member in a similar situation. Other people immediately answer questions before they have the chance to respond. What can you do?
• Look for opportunities to make space in conversations for that person to respond. You can ask, “What do you think?” and then wait for the response.
• Use your observation powers to “read” the facial expressions, tone of voice, and situational cues to help communication be successful.
Keep your eyes open! You can create opportunities to communicate for those who are “on the fringes” while you sharpen your power to see.
The Power to See
