Is listening becoming a lost skill?
Good Day, Wealthy Affiliate Friends,
I hope everyone is having a great week. I cannot believe the week is almost over. We are preparing to move my daughter this weekend 5 hours from here. She will live at home until the wedding. Next week my daughter and wife are preparing the apartment for the newlyweds to be.
I don't know about you but I think we are not listening to each other anymore. We are constantly distracted usually with our eyes on our phones. We are also distracted and trying to multitask.
The first step is to put our phones down and focus on the person we are listening to and try to not multitask. I am observing this more and more.
What can we do to better listen?
1. Listen with the intent to understand
2. Use open-ended questions
3. Show empathy and understanding
4. Paraphrase what you understand
5. Avoid interrupting or finishing the speaker’s sentences
These are just some ideas. What do you do to try to listen more?
Thanks,
Keith
Recent Comments
9
Effective communication is what I try to listen too, Keith! Excellent post, and best success to you this Frisatsu with everything on your plate!
Jeff
Look them in the eye. Be patient. Don't finish their sentence.
Yes, not many people know how to listen.
Barbara
See more comments
Hi Keith,
You are so right. When people are in a conversation the chances are they are already formulating a response before the other person has finished speaking. As a result, it is easy for miscommunications to occur.
I am a member of Toastmasters. The aim of Toastmasters is to help people improve their communication and leadership skills through practice at the club level.
Here is the crux. Communication is speaking and listening. Hence a lot of emphases is devoted to improving our listening skills.
Thanks for elevating the importance of effective listening.
Cheers.
Edwin
Yes, communication is listening and speaking. It just seems no one is listening. I am seeing more and more in virtual meetings.