... listen twice as much as you talk.
Bob Elliott
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Never one to pat himself on the back, former newspaper man, ACT employee and Iowa City councilor Bob Elliott claims to have very few words of wisdom.
However, spend a few minutes with him and you'll find that wisdom is something he has no shortage of, whether it's quoting Shakespeare or 19th century poets.
While Elliott seems to have gained a plethora of good advice in his 72 years, one nugget of wisdom may explain why he's learned so much.
"You have two ears and one mouth for good reasons," Elliott said. "You should listen twice as much as you talk."
The practice of listening more than talking has served Elliott in a number of his endeavors over the years. Early in his career, Elliott was a sports reporter. For 30 years, from 1968 until his retirement in 1998, Elliott used those skills working in human resources for ACT. Several years after his retirement, Elliott turned his ears to the community, serving one term as an Iowa City councilor.
While much of the knowledge he's gained he seems to have gleaned from his parents, Elliott keeps his ears open to virtually anyone, picking up words of advice as he goes.
"I think you have to learn constantly," Elliott said. "I think life is filled with a continuity of learning experiences."
However, Elliott said he's not one to give out advice unless it's requested.
"I try not to give out advice or make suggestions unless they're asked for," he said.
And while listening twice as much as he talks seems to have served Elliott well in his life, he admits that sometimes, he has a hard time following his own advice.
"I find that hard to practice sometimes because I enjoy talking," he said.
— Lee Hermiston
