Hearing Clearly

Listen, did you hear that? You may not have. Several years ago, a research study found that when teachers quizzed first graders they remembered 67%, third graders memory was only 55%, junior high students only grasped about 30% and adults tested at 25%. If that same study was done today with the distractions of the Internet, cell phones and information overload, I believe it would probably be even lower.

Over the years, I have learned that how I say something makes a big difference in whether the recipient received my intended message. In the past, I said to Tim, “Don’t forget to turn off the coffee pot.” What do you think he did? He forgot to turn off the coffee pot. Now, I change the words to, “Remember to turn off the coffee pot.” And most of the time he does. I discovered this lesson the hard way though.

As I gathered my materials and loaded them in the van for my speaking engagement, I saw his skis and thought he might want to use them while I was gone. I removed them from the car and leaned them against the garage wall. As I was backing out of the driveway, I realized he might not see where I placed them. I went back in the house and told him. He acknowledged with, “Okay.”

When I returned home from my presentation and asked him how skiing was, he said he didn’t go. After some coaxing, Tim told this story. He went to the trail, parked the car, opened the trunk and went to the restroom. Then when he reached into the trunk for his skis, they weren’t there! He thought they had been stolen. He recruited other skiers to find the thief. He walked up and down the trail studying everyone’s skis. Finally, he gave up and came home. When he pulled into the garage, there were his skis propped up against the wall. He did not remember my telling him I had left them there. He had not listened clearly.

As I was walking into a convenience store, I saw a pair of pink ear buds lying on the ground. I knew someone was probably going to have difficulty hearing their tunes. Today’s gift was to give the earphones to the cashier in hopes that their owner returned to get them, so that they too could hear clearly.

In Giving,

Robin