Speak up, have your say. All important, but before you do that, listen. Really listen. Then think. Listening is not a passive activity. Done well, it can have a significant impact on the other person. It’s half the conversation, more in fact. Without listening, it’s just two people talking at each other. Listening well lets the other person know that you are present, with them in that moment. Focusing on them, not anything else. Noticing someone, listening to them, hearing them is very powerful.

Then think. Think about what they’ve said. Then speak. It sounds simple, I know. But to really listen is a skill which needs to be learned and practised. Being in the moment with that other person, being part of the conversation, a conversation partner.

A real conversation can be an incredibly satisfying experience. It one of the fundamental way we connect with other people. How we feel connected and connect with others.

There’s no point in speaking up and having you say if no one is listening. So listen, really listen, then think, then speak.