Hearing the Right Voice

Dick Bass – have you heard this name. most likely not. No problem.

His achievements include being the first person to have climbed seven summits across five different continents, as well as being the oldest person to climb Mount Everest (at the age of 55). Son of a rich Texas Oil Baron he was known for his mountain climbing expeditions. He would often talk about his achievements to anyone whenever he would get an opportunity.

Once on a plane, he was seated next to a man. As was his habit, he started talking to him. He told him about how he almost died in Himalayas, how difficult it was to climb the peaks of Everest, Kilimanjaro and went on.

The reserved gentleman nodded politely. He did not say much. Two hours went by. They kept talking. About two hours passed. The plane was about to land. Bass realised that in all this talking they have not been introduced to each other. So Dick says, to the man seated next to him, ‘after all this, I don’t think I’ve introduced myself. My name is Dick Bass.’ I didn’t quite catch your name.

The man shook his hand, and replied, ‘Hi, I’m Neil Armstrong.”

How often have we been like Dick Bass. So tuned in to our self that we miss opportunities that we miss the insights and experiences of other people. It may not be of much consequence when it happens in a public scenario. But it absolutely matters when you hold responsibility or power or you are in a position of authority.

It stops and starts with us. He hear less, we misjudge a lot. We hear the first voice, the loudest voice, the most senior voice, the most popular voice. The result, we jump to conclusions, accept things as are heard, How about we endeavour to hear the Right voice, take time to reflect and reinterpret what we heard.