ABSTRACT
To know something about somebody else and to understand another person, we need to listen. Listening helps us to understand the other person. Listening not only benefits the listener, but is also very important for the person to whom we are listening. This chapter discusses the meaning of the power of listening, specifically high-quality listening. I-positions can influence each other and learn from each other. Political groups can work together only if they are willing to listen to their opponents and acknowledge contradictory positions and viewpoints. Then they can work together more usefully, settle for compromises, and reach a decision and agreement. If those groups do not listen to each other, do not tolerate each other’s point of view, or even consider the other group as an enemy, then the chances are high that we end up in a fruitless polarizing process in which no mutual decisions based on shared interests can be reached.
