Many of you reading this will remember the tag line of a particular financial management firm that was heard decades ago: “When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen.” It conveyed a reality about communication that we would do well to remind ourselves today, in a world where it seems that everyone has a megaphone at their fingertips that can amplify their voices.
First, it distinguishes the difference between someone projecting a message and someone receiving that message. Just because you have something to say doesn’t mean that someone is going to hear it. Of course, there can be many reasons why a message spoken is not also a message heard. It could have gotten lost in a cacophony of competing messages, or there may not have been anyone to receive it, or it was spoken in the wrong forum. For whatever reason, the fact remains that sometimes there is no one listening to a message.
Second, it suggests that when certain people have something to say, there will be those who want to hear it and will make the effort to receive the message. E.F. Hutton was known for his sage counsel when it came to financial matters. People trusted him, and he didn’t make a point of making points on a daily basis. Therefore, when he was willing to make his opinion on something known, people valued the opportunity to hear what was on his mind.
Third, it also suggests that there are people who will speak even though other people will not listen to them. It is easy to conflate the concept of freedom of speech with the right to be heard, but they are two very different concepts. People tend to say something precisely because they want people to listen to them, but the power of the E.F. Hutton commercial was in pointing out that there are many people speaking about financial matters that should not be listened to, because their track record doesn’t warrant taking them seriously.
We all have significant control over whether we are the sort of person that others want to listen to. We can dedicate ourselves to saying only those things that are true, so that we establish a reputation of being accurate. We can phrase our messages in ways that are easily received (as opposed to being offensive), so that we are known to be thoughtful and kind. And we can resist the urge to weigh in on everything – especially those things where others have considerably more insight, so that people don’t’ think that we are only talking to hear the sound of our own voice. Take care with these things, and people will likely listen to you. Disregard them, and you increase the likelihood that people will disregard what you have to say.
In my years of pastoring, I have done lots of listening, and I’ve found that nearly everyone has something that is worth other people hearing. However, sometimes I’ve had to filter through lots of things that weren’t worth listening to or would have otherwise caused me to tune out a person, before I get to that one precious nugget. Certainly, we could all be more patient as listeners, but we should remember our responsibility as speakers. If you want people to listen to you when you have something to say, try cultivating habits of truthfulness, kindness, and discretion. You too can be the sort of person who, when you talk, people listen.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron