Group 6

Group 6

A simple online search reveals that the average person speaks 140-170 words per minute. In contrast, people can hear upwards of 400-500 words per minute. As many Ted Talks address interesting anomalies, Celeste Headlee explores what the brain naturally does during these missing words. While it is natural for the brain to fill this space, society trains individuals to do this as importance is placed on individuality and how people can differentiate themselves from others through their thinking. In her TEd Talk, “10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation,” Celeste Headlee emphasizes how listening is the most critical skill to improve when trying to have better conversations.

Focusing on listening more will inherently include many of the other skills that Headlee suggests. For example, when one is truly listening, they are likely not multitasking, pontificating, discussing ideas that they are not knowledgeable about. Headlee suggests that listening is difficult for most people because, “we’d rather talk” and “we get distracted.” Having great conversations has never come naturally to humans, but it is becoming increasingly difficult in the divided world that humans inhabit today. Considering that a great conversation can provide people with increased levels of connectedness, inspiration, and accomplishment, it seems imperative that all people take some time to focus on their listening skills.