Better Listening for a Better Workplace
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Work days are longer, the pace of life is faster, and there's an endless contest for our attention. In an environment full of deadlines, cell phones, e-mail and other distractions, focusing long enough to listen to another human being can be a challenge.
But in a tight labor market, you can't afford to alienate the people you spent so much time and money to hire. Employees are more willing to share their ideas if they know you're really listening. Being a good listener not only helps boost morale but also helps you learn more about what motivates your staff and how you can get the best work from them.
Active listening prevents miscommunication, improves customer service and increases your effectiveness as a leader. "Bosses, in particular, find power in effective listening," says Jamie Martindale, a psychology professor with the ITT Tech Institute in Indianapolis. "You don't need to give in as much on projects, parameters, deadlines and so forth when employees feel you understand them."
The secret lies in using the Chinese characters that make up the verb "to listen": ears, eyes, undivided attention and heart.
In this Quick-Read you will find:
Article Contributors Writer: Julie Sturgeon
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]- A method to measure your skills.
- Best listening practices.
- Exercises to strengthen your skills.
- Concentrate. As hard as it may be to stop for a minute when you're busy, give the speaker your undivided attention. Hearing something right once takes less time than having the information repeated. Avoid getting distracted or letting your mind wander.
- Don't interrupt. If necessary, jot down a quick point or two to mention when it's your turn to speak, but wait until the other person is finished before jumping in.
- Keep an open mind. Don't rush to judge the statements or the speaker before you hear everything.
- Use body language. Make eye contact with the other person, lean in a little, nod to show understanding — your nonverbal cues say a lot.
- Rephrase and repeat what was said. When you've heard what your employee has to say, reflect the information and tie it to an emotion, such as "Sounds like you're angry about this situation." However, make sure you don't just dress up an opinion or judgment with the word feel. "I feel like you're overdramatizing this issue" falls flat.
- Consider your listening skills. If you answer yes to the following criteria, you need to polish this art: Do you talk more than the people around you? Do you find yourself interrupting others to get your point across? Do you often forget things people tell you?
- Pick up a tape or attend a class on active or emphatic listening. Becoming aware of bad listening habits allows you to focus on ways to tackle this deficit.
- Keep a running list of feeling words in your planner or a small notebook to expand your reflective listening vocabulary. Suggestions: festive, inspired, spirited, engrossed, brave, bold, calm, vacant, mournful, hollow, crushed, restless, suspicious, perplexed, jealous, reassured.
- Practice reflecting employees' emotions using the phrase "It seems that you feel _____ because ________."
- Arrange for a role-playing opportunity with two trusted friends. Rotate positions so that each of you acts out the speaker, listener and evaluator roles. Rate each other on a scale of one to five for emphatic responses to topics such as favorite vacations, workplace frustrations and family expectations.
- Actively seek feedback from your peers on your progress.
Article Contributors Writer: Julie Sturgeon
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Articles in our Entrepreneur’s Resource Center appeared in print and online newsletters published previously by the foundation. More than 1,000 articles can be found in the categories below, addressing timeless challenges faced by entrepreneurs of all types.