Dr. Zach Mercurio

I can, we, for the past 25 years, and I'm holding up a phone for those who are listening, but the past 25 years, we have been able to communicate with one another via short transactions, right? short digital communication. So John, if you tell me that you have some bad news, I can just send you a little text with a emoji, a sad faced emoji and say, I'm sorry to hear that.

I actually don't have to sit with you and seek to understand what you've been going through and offer compassion. If you give me some good news, I can just say, hey, happy to hear that. I don't have to sit with you and say, John, I've been noticing how much you've been working on this for five years. I'm really proud of you. I've seen your perseverance. Those are skills.

I actually don't have to sit with you and seek to understand what you've been going through and offer compassion. If you give me some good news, I can just say, hey, happy to hear that. I don't have to sit with you and say, John, I've been noticing how much you've been working on this for five years. I'm really proud of you. I've seen your perseverance. Those are skills.

I actually don't have to sit with you and seek to understand what you've been going through and offer compassion. If you give me some good news, I can just say, hey, happy to hear that. I don't have to sit with you and say, John, I've been noticing how much you've been working on this for five years. I'm really proud of you. I've seen your perseverance. Those are skills.

And what's been happening is over the past 25 years, we have not been getting social reps, social repetitions that we used to get. So those skills are withering. And now what's happening is people who have not had those skills, including myself through using phones and platforms are leading teams. And more than ever, people don't know how to respond to feedback in real time.

And what's been happening is over the past 25 years, we have not been getting social reps, social repetitions that we used to get. So those skills are withering. And now what's happening is people who have not had those skills, including myself through using phones and platforms are leading teams. And more than ever, people don't know how to respond to feedback in real time.

And what's been happening is over the past 25 years, we have not been getting social reps, social repetitions that we used to get. So those skills are withering. And now what's happening is people who have not had those skills, including myself through using phones and platforms are leading teams. And more than ever, people don't know how to respond to feedback in real time.

They don't know how to affirm a person's gifts. They don't know how to check in with somebody. They don't know how to remember someone's details of their lives and offer an action to show them their thought about. A lot of people don't know how to show compassion when they feel empathy. They don't know how to listen.

They don't know how to affirm a person's gifts. They don't know how to check in with somebody. They don't know how to remember someone's details of their lives and offer an action to show them their thought about. A lot of people don't know how to show compassion when they feel empathy. They don't know how to listen.

They don't know how to affirm a person's gifts. They don't know how to check in with somebody. They don't know how to remember someone's details of their lives and offer an action to show them their thought about. A lot of people don't know how to show compassion when they feel empathy. They don't know how to listen.

There was a study done that found that less than 2% of the world gets any formal education on how to listen well. So I think we're in this place where we need a massive reskilling. to relearn the skills to see, hear, value, and show the people across from us how they're needed.

There was a study done that found that less than 2% of the world gets any formal education on how to listen well. So I think we're in this place where we need a massive reskilling. to relearn the skills to see, hear, value, and show the people across from us how they're needed.

There was a study done that found that less than 2% of the world gets any formal education on how to listen well. So I think we're in this place where we need a massive reskilling. to relearn the skills to see, hear, value, and show the people across from us how they're needed.

Absolutely right. You don't get that evidence that you're important to somebody. The person that influenced me the most is the psychologist, Carl Rogers. He was the father of active listening.

Absolutely right. You don't get that evidence that you're important to somebody. The person that influenced me the most is the psychologist, Carl Rogers. He was the father of active listening.

Absolutely right. You don't get that evidence that you're important to somebody. The person that influenced me the most is the psychologist, Carl Rogers. He was the father of active listening.

But what we've gotten wrong though about teaching listening, in my opinion, and is that in leadership programs, we've teach people how to say yes, make eye contact, do all of the things that physically demonstrate that you're listening, not the things that ensure the person feels heard. You can be physically listened to and not feel heard.

But what we've gotten wrong though about teaching listening, in my opinion, and is that in leadership programs, we've teach people how to say yes, make eye contact, do all of the things that physically demonstrate that you're listening, not the things that ensure the person feels heard. You can be physically listened to and not feel heard.

But what we've gotten wrong though about teaching listening, in my opinion, and is that in leadership programs, we've teach people how to say yes, make eye contact, do all of the things that physically demonstrate that you're listening, not the things that ensure the person feels heard. You can be physically listened to and not feel heard.

And feeling heard comes from knowing that true voice, the meaning behind the words is invited out and explored. And to explore that means that we have to be attuned to people's feelings. We have to name feelings. We have to go beneath the surface. We have to check whether our perceptions are right with the person. And it's both an art. I think Picasso said the true art is loving people.