In the coming months we’ll be introducing a USCC suggested reading list, along with book recommendations to help and inspire chaplains on their missions.
We’ve been researching potential book recommendations and came across You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It Matters by Kate Murphy. On her author page for the book on Amazon.com, Murphy shared some information that could help chaplains become better listeners.
What does it mean to be a good listener?
“What I found is that rather than being a checklist of dos and don’ts, listening is more a state of mind. It’s about getting yourself in a receptive mode and also developing an awareness of the kinds of things that hijack your attention, cloud your perception, and make you zone out during a conversation. And, just as importantly, listening has to do with how well you respond—the degree to which you are able to encourage and elicit the clear expression of someone else’s thoughts. It’s both an art and a skill.“
Chaplain Challenge:
The next time you’re on a mission, pay attention to how well you’re listening. Are you in the moment with the person who needs your counsel or ministry of presence, or is your mind elsewhere? Or are you so busy composing your response that you’ve tuned out the person talking to you? There are times that your greatest responsibility as a chaplain will be being still in the moment with a person who needs all of your attention.
Do you have any recommendations for books that might help chaplains of any faith in their missions? Drop me a line rweingarten@chaplaincorps.us