I’m sure we have all been frustrated by a problem you have been working on and for whatever reason you just cannot work out a solution. Sound familiar? How many times have you then gone on to describe the problem to someone else and in doing so suddenly realise that you have had the solution all along? You go away with your solution and the other party is left wondering what that was all about and what they contributed. In reality the third party provided an invaluable service just by being there and listening, giving you the space to think by expressing the problem in hand. Listening is such a powerful tool that everyone should learn to use it more effectively both in the workplace and within our personal relationships too. Here are five tips for becoming a better listener.

1. The Art of
Listening – 5
Ways to do it
Better

2. Listening is such a powerful tool that
everyone should learn to use it more
effectively both in the workplace and within
our personal relationships too. Here are five
tips for becoming a better listener.
http://www.workinconfidence.com

3. Focus
Remove all distractions and concentrate on
whoever is speaking. This means ignoring your
phone and emails. Ideally go somewhere quiet
to talk and leave your phone behind.

4. Make Time
If you are in a rush you won’t be focused on the
conversation and you won’t be listening
properly as your mind will be elsewhere. Clear
space in your diary to ensure that you can
concentrate on the discussion.

5. Ask questions & give feedback
Show that you are listening by asking pertinent
questions at the appropriate moment. Even
signaling that you are listening through visual cues
such as nodding can be helpful.

6. No ifs, no buts but and
When you do speak don’t start your sentence
with “if” or “but” which have negative
connotations use “and” to build on what the
speaker has just said.

7. Remember
If this is a follow-up conversation show that you
were listening last time by including a relevant
point from that conversation.

8. If you do all the above you will not
only become a better listener but
you will also get much more out of
your conversations too.
http://www.workinconfidence.com

9. Read more content like this every
week on our blog:
http://blog.workinconfidence.com
http://www.workinconfidence.com

10. At WorkInConfidence we are all
about providing a way for staff to
reach out to you to raise ideas,
issues and concerns in a safe
environment by providing their
feedback anonymously.
http://www.workinconfidence.com

11. www.workinconfidence.com
Understand your staff better to
unlock their true power and potential