Understanding.

The difference between listening and understanding is much like that between information and knowledge. “We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge”, said trend researcher John Naisbitt. In order to really serve trends, markets or customer needs, we need to transform information into knowledge and first of all really understand who is talking to us. This also includes closely watching all those with whom we think we have little in common. For it is precisely the supposed outsiders who ensure a deeper, more accurate understanding – and therefore the requirement for successful action.