Are You Listening?

Effective listening skills are essential in all walks of life. Customers are lost and relationships are strained when we fail to listen to and understand other people.

"No one would listen to your talk if they didn't know it was their turn next

Good conversation is like a tennis match. You talk—they listen—they talk—you listen. Sometimes you hit the net and a misunderstanding occurs. Chances are, though, with good listening skills, you'll be back on top of the game quickly.

Effective listening is an art. It requires you to:

-- Re-evaluate assumptions and biases, and work to eliminate stereotypical thinking.

-- Pay attention to what is said; don't be distracted.

-- Take notes. to down words that will jog your memory for follow up actions.

-- Be attentive to what is NOT said but don't jump to conclusions prematurely. Is the speaker trying not to offend you and side-stepping a question?

-- Check out your hunches by giving the speaker feedback. Ask if your interpretation of their meaning is correct.

-- Find their intent. Poor communication skills frequently lead to misunderstandings and

sometimes to hostility.

-- Ask questions and paraphrase for fuller understanding.

-- Use your body language in a positive way. Make eye contact. Nod appropriately and

appreciatively, lean forward.

-- Avoid being defensive about your ideas. State them clearly without a confrontational tone.

-- Avoid signs of restlessness, such as tapping a pencil, while listening.

Listen and Learn

By listening attentively and providing feedback, you indicate to others that you value what they have to say. At the same time, you don't want to appear to be asking for approval, unless, of course, you need it. A tactful response after listening, considering, but not adopting the other person's ideas would be to say something on the order of, "Thank you for that suggestion. It will help flesh out my ideas in that area," or "Your comments give me another perspective on that issue.

Make Me Feel Important

Effective communication skills are the mark of an achiever. Always have been. Always will be.