Habit 5: Seek First to Understand

“Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood” from Stephen Covey’s book teaches that effective communication begins with understanding others before seeking to be heard. Listening closely reveals true meaning, making conversations constructive and meaningful. This builds trust, respect, and cooperation in relationships and various situations.

The quote “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply” shows that in many situations, people tend to focus more on preparing to give their answer or response than understanding what the others says that causes misunderstandings. Therefore, it’s important to change our listening patterns to be more empathic and open.

The main values implied by this habit are empathy, patience, and openness. It teaches people to respect others' point of view and highlights the importance of deep and thoughtful conversation. This helps us to support better understanding and growth in critical thinking.

As an ELT student, we often struggles with Grammar, and the ELT student first asks about the cause, whether it's lack of practice or conceptual confusion, and listens carefully. Then, they offer a tailored explanation. As Covey says that listening to understand, not just to reply, fosters more productive and harmonious learning relationships.

As future English teachers, incorporating empathic listening into our teaching is crucial. Teachers who listen carefully can better adapt methods and provide appropriate responses, boosting students' confidence and motivation. This creates a more meaningful, interactive, and inclusive learning environment that respects students' diverse backgrounds, because it’s very essential in foreign language teaching.