What do you hear when you wake up in the morning? Traffic? The Birds? Or is your mind already churning through what transpired yesterday or what you have on the docket today? One way or the other, your sense of listening is the first sense that you experience every day of the week.
As your day progresses, you usually don’t think of listening, it just happens. But what if you were to become more aware of your ability to listen. Or, on occasion, your inability to hear the nuances of life and business that are vital to maintaining healthy human connections.
You probably know that better listeners can hear important details, sense emotions, and read between the lines. When healthy listening takes place, people experience the sense that they are seen, heard and valued. That their opinions matter. When a person’s opinions are missed or dismissed because of a lack of listening, trust between individuals begins to deteriorate. This can have major implications on the basic human needs of worth and belonging.
Organizers of the 2021 World Listening Day say, “Less than 2% of people have had formal education on how to listen effectively”. If you want to sharpen the vital skill of listening to others, here are the guidelines to follow:
- Start From The End Envision an environment where people can let down their guard, ask judgement free questions and voice their opinions. What would that mean to you?
- Eliminate Distractions
Start by clearing your desk. Turn off your devices. Focusing on listening. - Body Language
Make eye contact. Lean in. If necessary, steeple your fingers (at your chin or over your mouth). Write important details down. - No Planning Or Judging
Expect your mind to wander. When it does, turn wandering into wondering. Get curious. - Empathize
Great listeners feel what the speaker is feeling. Don’t rush to fix anything. Be there. - Clarify
Does the speaker need advice or just needs to be heard? Ask. Has understanding taken place? Validate. Has a deeper connection and trust increased? Ask yourself.
This is a world where overstimulated senses are the norm…if you allow them to be. To improve your sense of listening, close your eyes and spend a few minutes zeroing in on just that one sense. What do you hear?
While doing this, your mind will try to distract you. I promise. But like any other strong communication skill, listening is a practice. It’s like a muscle. Strengthened with use.
