I am amazed how much we can learn from our traditions, religions and beliefs. And how easily we give all this a miss, despite it being right in front of us. In an era when modernism looks to replace the ancient wisdom as obsolete and archaic, something suddenly pops up and one witnesses a Buddha moment.

In a recent training I attended, there was session on the art of listening. Inspired by the Radical Transformation Leadership, that training emphasised on the importance of listening in our conversations. Monica Sharma, in her book “Radical Transformational Leadership,” discusses the importance of active listening. Active listening involves being fully present, understanding others’ perspectives, and showing empathy. It’s a crucial skill for leaders to build trust, foster collaboration, and make informed decisions, only if they listen actively.

As we celebrate the Ganesh festival now, one of the key features about the deity is the big ears. It is obvious that all the enigmatical symbols of Lord Ganesh are a metaphor to something, and the big ears are a representation of the importance of listening. Big ears allude to the fact that we should listen more, and His physiognomy is of calmness, care and empathy. Clearly, He delivers the same message – listen more; and with empathy for the other person. I had not thought about this in this context so far, and it probably struck me thanks to reading about listening in this book.

We spend gigabucks on such trainings – not undermining their importance at all – when we can learn much of this from our personal environs and beliefs proven and honed over generations. Our forefathers have been telling us about this all these years. If only we listen more.

PS – If you haven’t seen how big His ears are, the picture here should help.