Today it seems as if people have more differing opinions more than ever and our tolerance of difference is limited. Part of appreciating differences is the ability to truly listen to others thoughts, opinions and perspectives. It’s the attuning of our listening muscle that is most required.
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Let’s also dive into a few Do’s and Don’ts as it relates to listening. For the Do’s:
- Do: Listen fully before responding.
- Do: Lead with inquiry combined with empathy.
- Do: Be completely honest.
- Do: Reflect back what someone said so they can fully hear themselves and you can check that you really heard the other person.
- Do: Listen free of an agenda.
- Do: Provide feedback when appropriate.
- Do: Let your body language show you are really listening.
- Do: Be curious.
- Do: Listen to your body cues.
And for the DON’TS:
- Don’t: Interrupt and give comments before you have fully heard the other person.
- Don’t: Comment on the first issue. Wait to hear completely what the other person has to say.
- Don’t: Listen only to words. Listen to the meaning of what is being said and why it is being said.
- Don’t: “Step over anything.” Meaning if you hear something that is important to address, address it.
- Don’t: Be passive.
- Don’t: Just understand and seek to “figure someone out.”
- Don’t: Physically sit back and seem to be a passive listener.
- Don’t: Respond to everything. All of what someone says doesn’t require a response.
If you are interested in digging deeper in what we talked about, the best next step is to fill out our Needs Assessment. I’ll be happy to connect with you. And remember…Better Leaders, Better People, Better Results.
