Listening To Learn

1. Listening To Learn

2. Why is listening a key skill of leadership?

3. Listening is a primary means for connecting with other people.

4. Listening provides the means to make decisions and solve problems.

5. “Seek first to understand, then be understood.” Steven Covey

6. Two Parts of Effective Listening: • Active Listening - reflects what a person is saying, to confirm comprehension.“What I understand you to be saying is this…”

7. Two Parts of Effective Listening: • Empathetic Listening - is a sincere attempt on the part of a listener to understand in depth what a speaker is saying.Empathetic listening requires listeners to: • Put themselves in the speaker’s place • Imagine things from the speaker’s point of view. • Try to understand how the speaker feels.

8. Effective listening is active and empathetic

9. Monitoring our listening level

10. Listening in adversarial situations

11. Discussion points • Don’t judge their complaints • “I hear what you don’t want. Now tell me what you do want.” • Positive body language

12. Listeners should always strive to create A positive present As opposed to A negative past.

13. Giving and ReceivingFeedback

14. Tips on Giving Feedback • Consider your motives. • Determine if other is open to feedback. • Deal only with changeable behavior • Deal with specifics • Describe the behavior, don’t judge it • Let other know the impact of the behavior on you, upon others • Use “I” statement to accept responsibility for perceptions and emotions. • Have other rephrase to ensure they have understood feedback You can give caring feedback without a good technique, but the slickest technique will not hide a lack of caring.

15. Tips on Receiving Feedback • Seek out feedback • Listen carefully • Listen actively • Listen empathetically • Note your feelings, so they do not cloud your judgment on what is being said Consider feedback to be a gift - it truly is.

16. Summary • Effective listening is a skill that each of us can learn and can constantly improve upon. • Listening plays a vital role in forming relationships, developing teams, and finding solutions. • The best listening is both active and empathetic. • Listening can be a tool for turning a negative situation into a positive one. • Listening well is an important part of both receiving and giving feedback.