To listen is to learn

What would an online meeting be without the unofficial introduction, “can you hear me”? In a hyper connected world with screen share, camera-on, comments and emojis, people still want to know if you can hear them, are you listening?

I love the unassuming nature of sound. The way it just slips in, uninvited, without pretence or the need to command all of your attention. The ability to add tone, texture and meaning without saying a word and the ability to move without asking for action.

The converse is also true. Sound can also be intentional, we can turn on the power of audio to evoke emotion, a call to action or a request to connect. Think of a military marching band, a siren or the ping of a messaging app. Audio connects people to the world in the most unique and universal way.

Audio is about emotion. And it’s instant. The act of hearing is the quickest of all the senses and therefore connects a person to their world first. The screech of tyres, a baby’s cry or the silence of a child in the room next door, audio creates involuntary emotional reactions. Audio also triggers memories and can create new ones, it helps us interpret meaning in a situation (a laugh, a sigh or a stutter).

Listening is a key communication tool, and speech remains an integral component to this. The human voice can build trust through familiarity, calmness and confidence. The masterful use of language, vocabulary and timing all create strong connections to the spoken word and our ability to listen and interpret.

Listening is powerful action as it is a singular in nature with a multiplier effect. Think listening to a live music show, the radio or a speech. Each person hears a unique audio experience and reacts in a certain way. Through storytelling, listening is amplified and actions or put into motion.

As an industry, we often ask if the campaign message was heard. Should we rather ask, “are we listening”? Listening to audiences, to clients, to feedback and to the world around us? It’s in listening that we discover nuance, understand need, and find those powerful moments that resonate. Listening amplifies the work we do and the impact we can have.

Listening is a verb; it is an action that creates reaction. At MediaHeads 360 we’d love to help you create your story so that others can listen.