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The powerful skill of listening

Written by: Russell DeWitt

Article Overview: Out of the mouth of babes a lesson is brought concerning the forgotten skill of listening. It is amazing how one small child teaches more in a few moments than what can be gained from hours in a professional seminar. A exercise to be carried out in a small staff meeting is included.

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The powerful skill of listening

True story A young father was sitting on the floor fixing an appliance when his four-year-old daughter came into the room.

"Daddy! Guess what we did today! While we were in the..." and on she went with the day's adventures.

Still focused on the appliance, Daddy managed to multitask by offering verbal continuers to his little lamb. "Uh-huh." "That's great, honey." and "Wow, how bout' that?"

Unaware of the sudden silence, he felt two little hands holding the sides of his face. He accommodated the child's efforts to turn his head toward hers. When they locked eyes, she said, "Daddy, I want you to listen to me with your face."

Team exercise:

"What did the four-year-old want from her father?"

"Is the value of multi-tasking more important than what we show a person when (s)he is talking?"

"Today, try doing what the little girl wanted from her daddy each time someone speaks to you."

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Home > Leadership > Russell DeWitt > The powerful skill of listening
Article Tags: little girl, little lamb, multi tasking, nbsp, p daddy, sudden silence, team exercise, true story, two little hands

About the Author: Russell DeWitt
RSS for Russell's articles - Visit Russell's website

Russell DeWitt is a Program Developer & Trainer for a distinguished Medical Group in Indianapolis, IN. He holds a Bachelors in Youth Ministry & Bible. Russell will have his MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University this August. Russell is author of the eBook Three R's to Achievement, which is available at www.threerachieve.com Russell spent fourteen years speaking at youth camps, retreats, banquets, & other functions. Russell joined Corporate America in 1997. Here he served as a help desk technician, was promoted to eCommerce Consultant, and became a trainer for a fortune 500 company. After nine years, he joined his current employer. Here, he is "privileged to make a difference in the lives of others." Russell is also a writer for the Indianapolis Examiner. http://tiny.cc/LkAVP Russell has been married for eighteen years to his beautiful wife, Monica, who is an RN and fantastic mother. Russell has two boys, Liam and Landon, and they are the heartbeat of his life.

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More from Russell DeWitt
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What provokes you to give back
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