When a friend, client or colleague is upset, it’s tempting to rush in with answers or action.
But sometimes, the best thing to do is nothing more than listen.
No solution. No fixing. Just being there.
At Town Close, we think about this using a simple mental checklist:
Hear
The gold standard. Listen. Stay present. Let them talk. Sometimes, being heard is all someone needs. No advice. No next step. Just shared space and understanding.
Help
If hearing isn’t enough, or they ask for guidance, then we step in with perspective. We help make sense of the situation. But only once they’ve felt heard.
Handle
Only if it’s helpful and only with permission, do we take something off their plate. Sometimes the most caring thing is to say, “Leave it with me - I’ll sort it.”
It’s not a sequence. It’s a hierarchy.
Hear is best. Help if needed. Handle if invited.
This simple frame shapes how we support our clients, collaborate as a team, and show up in life - with empathy first.