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“Hand in hand with freedom of speech goes the power to be heard . . .”
~Bobby Kennedy
In April 2023, I had the great honor of standing on the TEDx stage, an experience I never thought would come my way. For six months, I researched and drafted what would become my presentation on the Art of Listening. (You can learn more here.) Yet, with so much material and so little time, a pivotal aspect of my speech had to be cut.
That is what I’ll focus on in this week’s newsletter.
Here it is: Beyond the art of listening lies the power to be heard.
Let’s backtrack to 1966, when Robert “Bobby” Kennedy (brother of JFK) gave a speech to a group of South African students. While he focused on themes such as Apartheid and communism, the message that struck me the most could have easily been overlooked.
“Hand in hand with freedom of speech goes the power to be heard . . .”
Yes, this one half-sentence encapsulates my message perfectly. When we speak, we have the right to be heard. When others are speaking, we have the responsibility to listen. Together, these actions are transactional. One cannot truly exist without the other.
Let me give an example.
Too often, we bury our noses in our phones while others are talking, and we pretend to listen: “yup,” “uh-huh,” “totally,” and on and on and on. Not only is it rude, it’s showing a neglect of care for a fellow human being. Flip the switch: How would you feel if you were talking to someone and it felt like your words meant nothing to them?
Remember, we have the responsibility to listen because we have the power to be heard.
When we truly listen to someone—to be actively engaged in conversation, which you can learn about in my speech—we show care and appreciation for our fellow human beings. The reason for all the world’s turmoil is because we have people who feel less than—who feel small, belittled, as if they don’t exist.
You may be thinking: “Yikes, I don’t know, man . . . this sounds like a huge responsibility with all this power-talk and stuff.” Well, was it not the great philosopher Uncle Ben who said, “With great power comes great responsibility”? And, according to author Mark Manson, the same is true if the quote is reversed: “With great responsibility comes great power.”
Responsibility = to Listen
Power = to be Heard
Regardless of our beliefs, the right to be heard is universal. This is not a political or ideological sentiment. (Without diving too deep, I think the basic tenets of humankind have been heavily politicized, which makes it difficult to be a champion for human rights without sounding partisan.) In fact, this next statement is a fundamental human right: Everyone’s voice matters.
Personally, I don’t really care if we agree or disagree on something—but it’s my duty to listen and respect your perspectives and beliefs. That’s the missing link, the ability to listen and to be heard by not only our friends, but also with those who share different opinions.
I’ll close with one of my favorite pieces of writing.
Growing up, we’d occasionally recite the Hispanic Creed in church. It always stuck with me, especially the final stanza:
And because we believe, we commit ourselves;
To believe for those who do not believe,
To love for those who do not love,
To dream for those who do not dream,
Until the day when hope becomes a reality.
This all comes down to responsibility. Being heard isn’t a privilege but a fundamental human right. We can give voices to the powerless if we simply listen. After all, it’s our greatest gift that we often neglect to utilize.