We all know when the person we are talking to isn’t interested in what we are saying. 😠 They might seem distracted or just barely listening for pauses so they can speak. It’s often very obvious. 😠 Think of how you feed when this happens, unimportant and like you are bothering that person. 💡 We can’t control how someone else behaves, but we can control how we behave in similar situations, when we are in the role of listener. There’s a lot of good advice in this week’s Matrix Technologies, Inc. Fundamental #16 - LISTEN GENEROUSLY, but I want to focus on three main points: 1 - Give others your undivided attention when they speak. - Make eye contact - Stop talking, and listen - Mirror back what the person is saying to confirm you understand 2 - Suspend your judgment: - Put yourself into a beginners mindset - Seek first to understand, then to be understood - Ask good open-ended questions to clarify - This will create a “safe” space for more open communications 3 - Listen to understand: - Practice active listening by giving them feedback through nods of acknowledgement, encouragement to continue, and by repeating back phrases in your own words to confirm that you understand - These will take practice and may feel strange at first, but keep trying - Practice these on a spouse, significant other, or your kids So to bring it on home, remember to listen generously: 1) Give others your undivided attention, 2) Suspend your judgement, and 3) Listen to understand. #MatrixFundamentals #ListenGenerously #StrongCulture
Fundamental #16 - Listen Generously #MatrixTech
