This Magic Monday, we take a look at how important it is to listen with intention in both our personal and professional relationships.
As we reflect on the year, looking back on our accomplishments and looking toward the goals of next year, we often do this with others.
During these times of reflection, we need to remember the importance of active, deep listening. This article by international speaker, writer, trained coach and facilitator Heather Plett takes a deep dive into deep listening (pun intended), covering various strategies, methods, tips and tricks toward developing this essential skill successfully. It may take a few different passes to cover everything, but some of the things she describes include:
- The importance of listening to different people differently (based on things such as background, personality, culture, and more.)
- Tips on overcoming personal distractions
- “The Circle Way” (a method of listening)
- Four Levels of Listening
- The importance of healing yourself first (we cannot receive more into a cup that is already full)
If you don’t have the time to go through the full article (or if you do!), it may be an enlightening exercise to ask a few questions of your coworkers, clients, or even friends and family such as:
- What do you think are the best indicators that someone is genuinely listening to you?
- What do you think are the indicators that someone is NOT genuinely listening to you?
- When do you find it most challenging to listen to another person?
- What personal work, self-care or other method helps you be a better listener?
There’s always more that we can learn of one another – why not try it out? How can you be a better listener to everyone with whom you engage?
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