How To Listen Effectively
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The document outlines effective listening techniques in a presentation by Angela La Gamba from Toastmasters, emphasizing the importance of listening skills for leaders in people development and communication. It provides ten actionable steps for improving listening, such as maintaining eye contact, being attentive, and showing empathy. The content also includes suggestions for group exercises to reinforce these listening techniques.
How To Listen Effectively
- 1. HOW TO LISTEN EFFECTIVELY FROM THE SUCCESS / COMMUNICATIONS SERIES ANGELA LA GAMBA, CC, CL TOASTMASTERS FEBRUARY 2014
- 2. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: • The Importance of Listening • 10 Steps to Listening Greatness • Group Exercise • In Summary Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 3. THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING • Listening is… • Paying attention • Caring about • Validating • Acknowledging • Leaders use excellent listening skills for: • People development • Solution finding • Building & communicating a vision • Leading projects or teams Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 4. 10 STEPS TO LISTENING GREATNESS 1. Face the speaker and make / maintain eye contact • Avoid the “Look at me when I’m talking to you” moment • Put aside papers, books, the phone and other distractions 2. Be attentive, but relaxed • Be present, stay focused Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 5. 10 STEPS TO LISTENING GREATNESS 3. Keep an open mind • Listen without judging the other person or mentally criticizing the things s/he tells you • Listen without jumping to conclusions • Don’t be a sentence-grabber 4. Listen to the words and try to picture what the speaker is saying. • • Create a mental model of the information being communicated Concentrate on what is being said, even if it bores you Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 6. 10 STEPS TO LISTENING GREATNESS 5. Don’t interrupt and don’t impose your “solutions” • • It is rude to interrupt others! Interrupting says: “I’m more important than you are” and “I don’t really care what you think” • Ask permission to share a solution: “Would you like to hear my ideas?” 6. Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying questions • If you don’t understand, ASK Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 7. 10 STEPS TO LISTENING GREATNESS 7. Ask questions only to ensure understanding • Don’t take detours from the original conversation 8. Try to feel what the speaker is feeling • • • Put yourself in the other person’s shoes Convey feelings through your facial expressions and words Empathy is the heart and soul of good listening Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 8. 10 STEPS TO LISTENING GREATNESS 9. Give the speaker regular feedback • Reflect the speaker’s feelings - “You must be thrilled!” “What a terrible ordeal for you.” • Nod, show your understanding through occasional well-timed “hmmm” or “uh huh” 10. Pay attention to what isn’t said – to nonverbal cues • Majority of direct communication is probably non-verbal Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 9. GROUP EXERCISE • Were you listening to today’s presentation? • • Write down 5 of the 10 ‘steps to listening greatness’ on a blank sheet of paper Let’s go over them together! Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 10. IN SUMMARY Questions? Email a.lagamba@gmail.com or tweet @AngelaLaGamba
- 11. THANK YOU! ANGELA LA GAMBA, CC, CL TOASTMASTERS FEBRUARY 2014
- 12. HELPFUL RESOURCES • Friedman, D.M. (n.d.). The Lost Art of Listening. Dr. Don Friedman. Retreived from: http://www.drdonfriedman.com/uploads/Don_LISTENING.pdf • Galbraith, A. (2012, May 30). How using extreme listening can develop leadership skills. Training Zone. Retreived from: http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/topic/soft-skills/how-usingextreme-listening-can-develop-leadership-skills/173524 • Schilling, D. (2012, November 9). 10 Steps to Effective Listening. Forbes. Retreived from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2012/11/09/10steps-to-effective-listening/ • Smith, D. (2009, July 6). Are You Really Listening? Training Zone. Retreived from: http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/topic/softskills/are-they-really-listening