Listening matters

I happen to believe that one of the best things that you can do to strengthen your organization and do better work is to get beyond your four walls and talk to people in your community. Friends, foes, leaders and ordinary folks .Be curious. Commit to seeking new perspectives. You’ll learn a lot.

Today’s quote is from author Ann Patchett, from What Now? her commencement address to graduating class of Sarah Lawrence College.

“So if you were sure that you didn’t have all the answers and were spending long afternoons asking yourself What now? wouldn’t it be even crazier not to listen to people …. For the most part, wisdom comes in chips rather than blocks. You have to be willing to gather them constantly, and from sources you never imagined to be probable.”

(I predict this tiny book will become a favorite present from parents to their children graduating from college. It has wonderful nuggets for all of us.)