Listening: The Silent Secret of Success

1 day

Description

To become more successful and influential, followers as well as leaders must learn to listen effectively.  Unfortunately, many professionals assume they can only exercise power in a social or business conversation when they speak.  Some people even feel listening puts them in a   subordinate position.

When leaders and followers fail to understand one another, mistakes occur, opportunities are missed, relationships are strained, and frustrations mount.  Consequently, the employee's value and the company's profits decline.

Yet, this need not be the case.  As we learn to listen well, we can minimize mistakes, seize opportunities, strengthen relationships, and reduce stress.  A by-product of effective listening is that we enhance how others feel about themselves and about us.  Good listeners are typically viewed as more intelligent, more trustworthy, and more valuable than poor listeners are.

Goals/Objectives

·   To assess your present effectiveness as a listener.

·   To identify the listening style you most often use in personal life and professional life.

·   To recognize and avoid the most common mistakes poor listeners make.

·   To plan listening objectives for scheduled meetings with key people.

·   To focus attention on the subject at hand.

·   To ask effective questions.

·   To spot distractions and remove them.

·   To interpret non-verbal communication.

·   To debrief after an important conversation and to preserve your insights.

·   To use listening skills to resolve conflicts more effectively.

Outline/Table of Contents

·   Symptoms of poor listening

·   The most common causes of ineffective listening

·   An overview of the interpersonal communication process

·   Understanding the four major listening styles

·   An explanation of the listening process

·   The characteristics of an active listener

·   The relationship between mind and body in the listening process

·   Techniques for enhancing mental focus

·   The benefits of effective listening

·   The role of non-verbal communication in the listening process