How good are your Listening Skills in a world full of noise, chatter, and information overload?
Listening is key to all effective communication and to avoid misunderstandings and potential frustrations. “Listening” is so much more than “Hearing”.
Effective listening is characterized as an active process (hence “Active Listening”); meaning we pay attention not only to what is being said, but also to how it is told. Therefore, being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. The listener should be an active and fully engaged participant in the communication process, like the speaker themself.
Based on my observations and coachings, great listeners do the following:
> They approach every communication with an open mind and the curiosity to learn
> They don’t talk when others speak
> They actively engage with an adequate body posture and facial expressions
> They repeat (once in a while) what others have said
What do you do to hone and improve your (active) listening skills?
If you want to learn more about active listening and improved organizational communication as part of a systematic coaching process, you might enjoy my new book “Building A Coaching Culture“.
Kind regards,
Andreas von der Heydt
Follow me on Twitter: @avonderheydt