Guest Blog: The Power of Listening, by Joy Ravela

This guest blog is written by the very talented Joy Ravela. Joy is a radio presenter and assistant content director of the Rhema radio station here in New Zealand. She also works with faith-led women through her business She Speaks Value, helping storytellers find their voice. - Maxene

When I started off as an intern at Rhema Media I initially requested to NOT be on the radio during my interview.

I insisted that I would be better off in the background because I felt I was not interesting or extroverted enough.

I remember what the Head of Media said to me in response -

“The best communicators are often the best listeners”

I distinctly recall being confused and thinking “Seriously? The best radio announcers are the best at listening? Isn’t it their job to talk?”

As the next few years unfolded and I got more and more involved with radio and TV, I certainly found what he said to be true.

I mean, think about a time when you were in the company of someone who you really felt a connection with. Chances are… they were not cutting you off every ten seconds or going on about something you didn’t really care much about.

They instead asked questions, listened to your words attentively and responded with empathy.

Whether you are a radio presenter or running an Instagram page… it all comes down to connecting with people. And one of the most powerful ways to connect is to simply listen.

What are the people you’re engaging with going through right now? What are their fears and worries? What are they most excited about? What’s something that pushes them away or pulls them closer?

It seems simple, but listening is one of the greatest gifts you can give as a content creator.

I remember the first time I did an interview with someone. I prepped about 20 questions, did all my background research, and trialled all the technology days in advance.

On the day of the interview, things seemed to be going well for me. The moment they finished speaking I was ready with another question. A few minutes into the interview, I launched question number 4 and then heard an exasperating sigh followed by “Yes, I’ve already mentioned that a couple of times”

It was a pretty powerful teaching moment for me. You see, I was so fixated on powering through the interview and getting what I wanted out of the interaction, that I wasn’t paying attention to the human being on the other side.

No matter where we are from or how old we are, we are hardwired to pull away from people who treat us like objects.

On the flipside? When we find people who we know have a genuine interest in us, we give them the gift of our loyalty and honesty.

In terms of business… let’s just say those are incredibly valuable assets.

I love the Chronicles of Narnia written by C.S Lewis. The first book of the series is called ‘The Magicians Nephew’ and I often think about these words

“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”

Now is a great time to asking yourself is you are truly listening and then recalibrate if you need to.

Xx

Much Love,

Joy