To learn more from other people, defer judgment and ask for actionable proposals

From 10 Questions for 2020, by Chris DeMuth, hedge fund manager and author of the fast-growing SPAC investing advisory service Sifting the World:

How can I use iterative conversations to harness the value of others’ conclusions instead of ruining the value of diversity by tainting their views with my own?

A lot of my thinking on this question has been guided by Annie Duke, who is a great teacher on the subject of high-quality decision making.

I am working on deferring judgement and listening to people worth listening to without simultaneously deciding what to do about it and formulating a response. Instead I’ve been fixating on the sound of their voices and the sensory experience, trying to become a keener observer. The reactions and judgements can come later. The more I listen for sound instead of response, the longer increment I can assimilate. My recall has soared.

I also have been nudging colleagues for actionable proposals instead of meandering chats. That way, I can choose to defer to them and stay on my own track if their idea is valid but I prefer my preexisting focus. Actionable proposals let me say “yes” and then come back when I want to tweak.

Notes:
(i) Cf. Farnham Street’s advice to listen to others with the intent to agree with them.
(ii) Cf. Leo Babauta’s How to listen without judging.
(iii) Re. “I also have been nudging colleagues for actionable proposals instead of meandering chats”: cf. When you’re given advice, here’s how to listen with an open mind.