Most people like to talk, and especially like to talk about things that involve their own self, but on the other hand, they often aren't so good about listening to what others are saying. Yet, if we listened more to others, and really paid attention to their words and then to their subsequent actions, we would learn a heck of a lot more about them, and perhaps would be able to be of more relevant assistance to others, by virtue of having listened well and then having watched their ensuing actions.
In point of fact, the words that people speak each and every day are really a very good portal into the psyche of a given individual, so that, rather than trying to spend an inordinate amount of time, talking over others so as to demonstrate our own importance or wisdom, we would serve others better, if we actually carefully listened to their words, but not only that, followed through by then watching and taking into account whether their subsequent actions correlated well or not with the words so spoken by them.
This correlation between the words spoken and subsequent actions is not primarily meant to catch people in their contradictions or hypocrisy, but rather it permits us to create a more complete picture of a given individual, so that we have therefore a better and more thorough understanding of them. After all, in order to be a good friend, or a good business associate, it is of immense value to actually know the other person in a manner that is accurate, and words being spoken, and goals so expressed, can only be subsequently adjudged correctly if we match up those things with what thereupon occurs.
Further, the more that we know of a given individual, the better we will be able to successfully navigate that relationship, because we are thereby more cognizant of what their words typically mean or don’t mean, by having correlated previous words spoken to subsequent actions, so that, we will, for example, not unnecessarily feel disappointment or rejection when those that have demonstrated their lack of integrity, fail to make good on promises; or, on the other hand, for those that are more modest and undersell themselves, we will thereupon recognize that their words, are often precursors of very good things that will come.
Although there is a multitude of ways to communicate, the most common way though is through the words so spoken, one to another, and if we are unable to give our full attention to what is being spoken, we lose our opportunity to hear well what is being said. Further, it is important to listen well, for many a person has been supposedly caught unawares by the action of someone that they should have correct and intimate knowledge of, in which, no doubt, good listening, would have detected such a long time ago, and having been detected, perhaps what would occurred, would have been a better understanding between those two parties, and thereby subsequently a different and a more satisfying result.
The more that we pay attention to others, the more that we learn about those others, and good attention begins with good listening and good listeners pay good attention to the correlation between those words so spoken and the actions thereby made.