WORK HARD AT LISTENING

Another really important key to building powerful listening skills, is to work hard at listening.  Now, some of you may be wondering, what is she talking about?  When I say working hard at listening, I mean getting yourself actively involved as a listener.  For instance, if someone is talking to you, as a listener you can be actively involved by your eye contact, understanding the use of body language, and tone. 

In order to grasp these concepts further, let’s apply the techniques to working hard at listening to my embarrassing little experience of falling on my behind when I was in high school.  When I was approached by the janitor to warn me of the wet floor, I should have focused on what he was saying to me by making eye contact and actually stopping to listen.  His body language and hand gestures were telling me it was important for me to listen (although I didn’t, which resulted in a nice big bruise on my bottom). As the listener, you should be aware of how the speaker is using their body language and ask yourself whether or not what they were contradicting what they are saying. If I had taken the time to take out my headphones from my ears, I would have been able to hear the janitor’s tone of urgency and importance.  Remember the tone sets the mood of the conversation, so be aware when it’s your turn to talk that you keep in mind your own tone, body language, and consistent eye contact.  As a listener, attempt to listen to what the feelings and meanings are behind the words and don't just hear, listen to what is being said. 

Sounds pretty easy right?  If you want to have stronger communication skills for both your personal and professional lives, stay tuned for more techniques on how to build powerful listening skills. 

For more information and insight on how to become actively involved as a listener, check out a YouTube video by Emeroy Bernardo from Emeroy TV: