Are you a good listener?  Many of us would answer, “Yes, of course!”  Not too fast . . . research shows that most adults are only 25% effective at this basic skill.

Why don’t we listen well?

Some of the most common causes of poor listening include:

• Being distracted
• Preparing a rebuttal while the speaker is talking
• Daydreaming
• Information overload
• Our own paradigm (preconceived ideas/biases)
• Not knowing how to listen well

Listening Formula

Listening well is simple but not easy!  Check out my short video on a simple formula to put to work right away!

Stop

Stop everything else that you are doing.  Give the speaker your undivided attention.  Block out everything else going on around you.

Look

Look at the speaker.  Hold good eye contact.  Let the speaker know with your facial expressions that you are very interested in what they’re saying.

Listen

Listen carefully to really understand what they’re saying–what’s it like to be in the speaker’s shoes?  Avoid the temptation to interrupt!

Ask Questions

When the speaker is finished, ask any questions you may have to clarify the message or fill in any missing information.  Use open-ended questions and avoid yes-no questions.

Use Feedback

Simply put into your own words what the speaker said.  Paraphrase the feelings as well.  Pause, then check for understanding.

Assess Your Listening Skills

Would you like to learn how you score on your listening skills?  Contact me at kathy@kathycooperman.com to take a great online assessment.  I’ll be happy to work with you to interpret and understand your results!