|
Many don’t realize they are poor listeners – it is their blind spot. They see communication is a one-way street, the importance of speaking and writing effectively. They may see themselves as good listeners, but others don’t believe they have this skill. In other cases, they don’t understand the value of listening.
There are other cases where people don’t know how to listen, and don’t recognize the behaviors that could make them better listeners.
These include an open posture, leaning forward, arms uncrossed, head nodding and good questions. They learn to use encouraging phrases such as “tell me more” or any other phrase that shows that they are paying attention. They make sure that nothing interrupts the process of listening. Phones are silenced, and interruptions are minimized.
Some highly intelligent people are both impatient and easily distracted. They may have difficulty tolerating a slow pace of talking, and this makes it difficult to concentrate on what is being said. Others listen selectively, hearing some things and missing others.
Good listening requires patience and practice. Those who are unwilling to do both are likely to continue to be poor listeners. Furthermore, poor listeners are frequently ineffective leaders.
|
