Active Listening: A Critical Success Factor
Active Listening: A Critical Success Factor
Are you a good listener? Before you answer, check to see if you recognize yourself in any of the following scenarios:
• While the other person is talking, I’m formulating my response.
• I sometimes wish that the other person would hurry up and ‘spit it out’ so I can get back to what I was doing.
• I often interrupt people with my advice, insights, and solutions before they have finished speaking.
• While someone else is speaking, I multitask by checking email, texting, or answering the phone.
• In conversations, I usually talk more than the other person talks.
• I often get bored and daydream instead of listening.
Sound familiar? In all of these scenarios, you might be hearing the words the other person is saying, but your attention is squarely on you. If you are listening at all, you are listening to your internal dialogue. You might engage in the conversation, but you do so to offer advice or tell your own stories.
Listening is more than hearing. Hearing occurs when your ears pick up sound waves and transmit them from the eardrum to the brain. For example, you may be conscious of the sound of speech coming from the radio, surrounding you in a crowded restaurant, or penetrating through your office wall, but you are not really listening to any of it. Hearing is passive, whereas listening is an active process of assigning meaning to what you hear and responding to both the verbal and non-verbal messages being sent. Active listening is acting on what you hear.
When actively listening, you are:
• Not talking, to others or yourself. You can’t listen if you are talking.
• Trying to understand the other person’s point of view.
• Not voting. Active listeners are open, non-judgmental, curious, and affirming.
• Looking, acting, and being genuinely interested in what the other person is saying.
• Observing non-verbal behavior so that you can better interpret the message.
• Listening between the words for explicit and implicit meaning.
• Ensuring your understanding through rephrasing, effective questioning, and clarifying.
It’s not very realistic to listen at this deep level 100 percent of the time. And, in all honesty, not every business conversation requires active listening. But, some conversations demand it. Think of the potential advantages of active listening when negotiating with a client, attempting to resolve a conflict, or when coaching a team member. Active listening can dramatically improve your ability to build trust and to influence others. Dean Rusk, the U.S. Secretary of State under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, said “One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears—by listening to them.”
A few people are naturally gifted listeners. And, then there are the rest of us. Active listening is a skill that can be learned and developed with practice. Here are some tips for sharpening your listening skills.
Develop your curiosity. If you remain curious, you are more likely to ask open-ended questions and really listen to the answers.
Pay attention to your listening. Increasing your awareness of your own internal dialogue will help you to self-manage and redirect your attention to the speaker. Also, replay recent conversations you’ve had and assess whether you listened well.
Seek feedback. Ask peers, employees, bosses, and others to assess your listening skills.
Work with a coach. Coaches can help you discover ways to listen better not only to those you work with, but also to yourself.
Listening better will reward you with an entirely new level of communication and problem-solving skills, for active listening requires the ability to see multiple points of view in any given situation.
Active Listening A Critical Success Factor - To learn more about this author, visit Kim Freedman's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Studies have shown that most managers spend between 60 to 80 percent of their workday communicating with other people on the telephone, in meetings, and in casual conversations. Assuming we listen as much as we speak, which is a pretty big assumption, we spend a good portion of our day in listening mode.
Are you a good listener? Before you answer, check to see if you recognize yourself in any of the following scenarios:
• While the other person is talking, I’m formulating my response.
• I sometimes wish that the other person would hurry up and ‘spit it out’ so I can get back to what I was doing.
• I often interrupt people with my advice, insights, and solutions before they have finished speaking.
• While someone else is speaking, I multitask by checking email, texting, or answering the phone.
• In conversations, I usually talk more than the other person talks.
• I often get bored and daydream instead of listening.
Sound familiar? In all of these scenarios, you might be hearing the words the other person is saying, but your attention is squarely on you. If you are listening at all, you are listening to your internal dialogue. You might engage in the conversation, but you do so to offer advice or tell your own stories.
Listening is more than hearing. Hearing occurs when your ears pick up sound waves and transmit them from the eardrum to the brain. For example, you may be conscious of the sound of speech coming from the radio, surrounding you in a crowded restaurant, or penetrating through your office wall, but you are not really listening to any of it. Hearing is passive, whereas listening is an active process of assigning meaning to what you hear and responding to both the verbal and non-verbal messages being sent. Active listening is acting on what you hear.
When actively listening, you are:
• Not talking, to others or yourself. You can’t listen if you are talking.
• Trying to understand the other person’s point of view.
• Not voting. Active listeners are open, non-judgmental, curious, and affirming.
• Looking, acting, and being genuinely interested in what the other person is saying.
• Observing non-verbal behavior so that you can better interpret the message.
• Listening between the words for explicit and implicit meaning.
• Ensuring your understanding through rephrasing, effective questioning, and clarifying.
It’s not very realistic to listen at this deep level 100 percent of the time. And, in all honesty, not every business conversation requires active listening. But, some conversations demand it. Think of the potential advantages of active listening when negotiating with a client, attempting to resolve a conflict, or when coaching a team member. Active listening can dramatically improve your ability to build trust and to influence others. Dean Rusk, the U.S. Secretary of State under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, said “One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears—by listening to them.”
A few people are naturally gifted listeners. And, then there are the rest of us. Active listening is a skill that can be learned and developed with practice. Here are some tips for sharpening your listening skills.
Develop your curiosity. If you remain curious, you are more likely to ask open-ended questions and really listen to the answers.
Pay attention to your listening. Increasing your awareness of your own internal dialogue will help you to self-manage and redirect your attention to the speaker. Also, replay recent conversations you’ve had and assess whether you listened well.
Seek feedback. Ask peers, employees, bosses, and others to assess your listening skills.
Work with a coach. Coaches can help you discover ways to listen better not only to those you work with, but also to yourself.
Listening better will reward you with an entirely new level of communication and problem-solving skills, for active listening requires the ability to see multiple points of view in any given situation.
Active Listening A Critical Success Factor - To learn more about this author, visit Kim Freedman's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
|||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|||
Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Kim's articles
 |
|
Catalyst Leadership Coaching - Kim Freedman, President and Chief Catalyst of Catalyst Leadership Coaching, LLC, uses customized training programs and one-on-one coaching to help organizations develop leaders who deliver outstanding results.
|
|
 |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
|
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Innovative Thinking Employee Engagment Managing Customer Relationships Instant Yellow Pages Elevating Your Business |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Productivity Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
 |
More PR Resources
Press Release Builder | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||