Yi Kai had signed up for the community service project in Thailand eagerly. However, before long, the challenges of living in a village overwhelmed him. He found the various smells overpowering; he also felt overstimulated by his hosts’ constant chatter. He was miserable initially, thinking that his difficulty in assimilating was due to his oversight. Nonetheless, he told himself to stay resilient and overcome the challenges. 

When a team underperforms, the negative feelings the members face can undermine relationships and even lead to conflicts. In this instance, active listening is often an underrated skill that is overlooked. However, if we really pay attention to the intent behind our teammates’ words, we will be able to understand their perspective better. Active listening underpins effective communication. It also underscores the importance of team building.