 |
| Business |
 Are
You Listening? 7 Steps to Improving Your Listening
SkillsBy Maureen Tazzioli of ReZults Matter Imagine for a moment that you are attending a business meeting with some colleagues, when you are called upon to offer some information regarding a team project. Feeling somewhat nervous yet ready to express yourself, you begin to speak with confidence and intelligence. During this time however, a colleague’s cell phone rings, and a private conversation between your colleague and the individual on the cell phone begins. How do you think you would react? Would you continue expressing your thoughts, or would you become frustrated at the obvious distraction taking place? Even though the above scenario is fictitious in nature, a strong message can be learned: No matter how good our intentions are to listen to one another, becoming an active listener requires time, practice and patience. As a business owner and entrepreneur, myself, I have been granted many opportunities to witness, hear stories about, and personally experience various pitfalls regarding listening skills and the impact created. From these resources, I discovered seven steps that may help you improve your own active listening skills, while at the same time increase your business’ potential for success. 1) Take the Time to Listen - Listening to others is not always easy, but when it becomes an important part of your day, there is plenty you can learn and accomplish at the same time. Making the most out of any listening opportunity can save you a great deal of time, money and frustration, especially if you are in a position to address the situation as soon as possible. If you can set aside 30 to 40 minutes a day, preferably in the morning, to actively listen to the concerns others may have, you may be able to improve the productivity and creativity of that particular individual. Besides, there may be times when all we really need is someone to listen to us. 2) Join Them in the Moment - It is important that when you allocate a period of time specifically to listen to the concerns of another, that you do just that...listen to them. For example, try turning off your computer and cell phone while at the same time, adjusting your telephone answering machine to pick up all calls immediately. This way the telephone does not become a noisy distraction. Next, clear away any files you are currently working on. When a person notices that you have taken the time to remove all possible distractions, they will probably do their best to get to the central point of their concern, so that both of you can return to work as soon as possible. Joining them in the moment can lead to a positive outcome. 3) Stay on Task...Stay Focussed on Purpose - It can be quite difficult to stay on task and focussed on purpose during a conversation, therefore, try to be prepared with a series of open-ended questions to ask, especially if you were aware of the meeting ahead of time. If not, be sure to indicate upfront how much time you have available for them, or arrange a more suitable time, within a 48 hour period, in which to meet. Finally, try to remember that when you are listening to another, you are not expected to offer solutions to their challenges, but rather act specifically as a sound board for them to fully express their individual concerns. By doing it this way, you may be able to empower them, to seek out for themselves, possible solutions to their own situations. 4) What is Mentioned in Confidence, Stays Confidential - When you take the time to listen to someone else’s concerns, try to show your sincerity by being your authentic self. Remember to apply integrity and respect to ensure that all information shared between the two of you, stays private and confidential. Respecting another’s right to privacy is extremely important - without it, the consequences could be disastrous. 5) Remember Who Owns the Challenging Situation - When someone decides to share their challenging situation(s) with me, I try to remember that even though it is not up to me to offer any solutions; I can still do my best to create a comfortable and confidential environment in which to listen to them. Focussing on positive outcomes is extremely important, however, I believe that for most people, they already know, deep down, what course of action they have to take to improve their own situation. The only thing they may require is the listening abilities of another, and that’s it. 6) Be Open, Honest and Willing to Share - By being open, honest and willing to share humbling yet successful experiences, you can offer much hope to someone struggling with uncertainty. I have learned that sometimes just hearing about another person’s own success story and how they improved their personal situation, can offer much encouragement and inspiration to another desiring a similar outcome. 7) Know When Professional Assistance is Necessary - Even though it may be easier for a person to trust and confide in someone they personally know such as a family member, friend, boss, etc., it is with great interest that an active listener knows precisely when to suggest, if at all, the assistance of a qualified professional. The sooner an individual is granted an opportunity to express their own concerns, the faster they can work at achieving a positive outcome for themselves and those around them. If we all choose to invest enough time and patience, while continuing to take every opportunity to practice our own listening skills, we may begin to unleash enormous potential, not just in ourselves but in others as well. By effectively listening to each other we can achieve wonderful outcomes. Maureen Tazzioli, keynote speaker & common sense thinker, helps businesses & individuals achieve positive results. Contact Maureen at mtazzioli@rezultsmatter.com or visit her at www.rezultsmatter.com |