Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. – Jimi Hendrix

How well do you listen? How much do you learn when you’re talking?

What does that mean?
I like this one. Not only is the quote spot-on, it’s from a Rock-n-Roll guitar god. Who would expect such an incredible bit of insight from such a source? Not too many, I would imagine.

The quote says that knowledge speaks. Those with knowledge are usually more than willing to share what they know with those who are interested. And sometimes with those who have absolutely no interest, but simply happened to be near by. You’ve probably known a few people like that. Sometimes they even know what they’re talking about!

The quote then says that wisdom listens. Wisdom tends to get that way by finding the knowledge beyond the common knowledge. How many times have you found out that what you thought was the whole truth was only a tiny part of it?

While sometimes it’s an extension of knowledge (Higgs Boson, anyone?), other times it becomes wisdom (the growth of love from infatuation, to true love, to the love of your children, to the love of family, community and humanity, and sometimes beyond, to include all living things).

Why is listening important?  
A wise man once said his ears never got him in trouble, his mouth was a different matter entirely. To me, this is a big part of the quote. Being quiet and listening, instead of always talking, no matter how much you may know about a subject.

When I was younger, my mom would often say to me “Don’t tell me how to build a clock, just tell me the time!” I was very fond of explaining everything in excruciating detail. I was proud of my knowledge and I inflicted it on anyone who would sit still long enough.

Is that a great way to make friends? I don’t think so. It tends to be at least a little annoying at best, and flat out rude at worst. The better course of action, the wiser one (at least according to the quote) is to shut your mouth and listen.

You rarely learn anything by talking. However, when you are listening, you are far more likely to get useful information. Even if some of you assumptions are challenged, you will learn something when you go back and double check what you thought was true.

It could be that there has been new information discovered since last you looked. Imagine how foolish you’d have looked if you’d been talking instead of listening!

Where can I apply this in my life?
Personally, I try to only add enough to a conversation to keep it going and not seem like a complete wall-flower. I might add a comment to try to steer the conversation back on topic if someone tries to wander off into the weeds, but usually, I just listen.

You can do the same. Try to hang around people who know things about which you wish to learn more. In this way, you gain useful (and hopefully correct) information. If you hang around people who only know as much as you, how will you learn more?

If, however, you ever find yourself stuck in such a situation, you could use that time to practice being wise and keeping quiet and sharpening your listening skills. Talking takes a fair amount of brain power, and often speakers miss important cues from the people they are lecturing.

The listener hasn’t much else to do besides listen, so they can more easily look around and figure out which of the people there are the most knowledgeable, and who the listener might want to meet again for the purpose of learning even more.

One thing I haven’t mentioned is the direct question. If you are known as a subject matter expert, people will come to you and ask questions. You can take that as a proper time to speak, but I try instead to pass on knowledge.

In these situations, I try to answer as little as possible, but rather I try to lead them through the steps towards the solution. Unless it’s a simple process, it probably won’t stick with them the first time, but I try to be patient with them.

After a while, you’ll find that they only come to you with really hard problems. And, to me, that is where wisdom has shown itself. You have listened to their questions, and seen beyond that to their needs, and helped them gain the knowledge they seek.

And if they follow that pattern, they may become wise as well, and pass that wisdom to their friends. That’s a good thing, just ask any tech-savvy person who is tech-support for their family or neighborhood. 8)

From: Twitter, @Use140
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimihendri103615.html
Photo by LCSTRAVELBUGGIN