Posted by Howe Q. Wallace on Friday, April 14th, 2017
Who listens to you? I mean, really listens?
As you picture that person, make a list of feelings you have when you are with them.
Understood? Respected? Welcome? Loved?
Listening is an underrated skill. To become an effective listener empowers you as a relationship builder.
Here are a few things that psychologist Erich Fromm said good listener do:
Great listeners concentrate on listening. They remove physical distractions. They focus on the conversation
They have clear minds. They clear away mental distractions too
They have imaginations that allow them to develop good pictures of what they are hearing.
They have the ability to capture the emotions and sentiments surrounding the story they are hearing. They communicate their understanding well to those to whom they are listening. This is called empathy
A person who combines concentration, imagination and empathy has built a package that communicates extraordinary connection. It takes practice. It achieves great results.
Since 2005, he has been sharing his thoughts on the organization, leadership, and communication in an online daily note to teammates called Daily with HQ.