Eavesdropping ain’t all bad, is it?
Mind you, I am not endorsing tuning in on conversations that are clearly private and personal. But what about the conversations you overhear when you are alone in public? A perfect example: during the Chicago Humanities Festival, I attended several of the events on my own. As a result, I found myself eavesdropping…often.
What did I learn? Of course I heard reviews from attendees regarding the content throughout the festival.This was helpful in terms of deciding what made the most sense to watch later on video. But I also learned about events and opinions unrelated to the festival. Just one minor example: I heard a group talking (animatedly!) as we sat in the University of Chicago auditorium waiting for a program to begin. They were talking about ESPN‘s (occasional) coverage of the national scrabble championship.
This brought me joy—not because I’m particularly good at scrabble (tho I certainly should be!)—but because scrabble is dedicated to a respect for words. And words are a key foundation of communication. And communication is my “thang”. And some people, apparently, thinks it’s important enough to show on ESPN!
By the end of the Humanities Festival, I had surely visited several links and filled my little notebook (never leave home without pen and paper!) with great ideas and new knowledge. A bonus!
So, it’s not wrong (is it?!) to eavesdrop and capture even more tidbits of personal or professional interest? Let’s face it. I, too, have noticed when people are listening in on my own conversations. Their facial expressions (especially a well-timed laugh that just happens to occur at the same time as ours) reveal their truth!
Of course, some networkers would say that it’s better to actually join in on the conversation, sharing your opinion and making new contacts. But I argue that sometimes you can learn more by just being quiet, and listening in.