Tip 1: Be More Like a Rubber Duck
“Rubber duck debugging” (The Pragmatic Programmer, by Andrew Hunt) is a form of problem-solving used by programmers who encounter errors when writing code. As a programmer working alone in my home office, if I cannot spot the error, I explain my work, line by line, to an inanimate object.
Thought is faster than speech, so when I explain things to the rubber duck, I have to slow things down, be clearer and more precise so they understand. Also, I start from the assumption that the duck doesn’t know as much about the situation as I do, so I speak paying careful attention to details which I might have taken for granted. This process allows me to see things a lot clearer as well. I am able to arrive at a solution to my problem because I am explaining it to the duck.
This rubber duck is the good listener.
A good listener is someone who is so interested in what I have to say, that they ask questions which open me up to say some more. These questions start with “How…?” “What…?” and “In what way..?” ‘Tell me more…”
They are also able to make statements that reflect what I have said, that show me they ‘get me’. That feels sooo good.
And when I feel good, not only do I find it easier to solve my problems, but I feel calmer and more open to other perspectives.
Why not try it yourself! Next time you have a problem, tell it to the duck.