by Angela Gallogly
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com
For a couple of weeks, I’ve been focusing on the value of effectively communicating with those we work with. Whether face-to-face, on the phone, or via email, there are tools available that can help you compose and deliver your message in a clear and professional way. Today, I want to focus on what I consider one of the toughest aspects of communication.
Communication Key #4:
Listening. For many of us, this is a challenge. It certainly is for me. I’ve got a huge toolkit and lots of experience when it comes to sending the message. It comes naturally to me. That’s probably why I love training – I get to speak to an audience! But even when I’m facilitating, my ability to listen to the group is critical. I’ve got to hear my participants’ questions, concerns, and thoughts around the material that I’m presenting. Without their contribution, the learning experience is diminished. It’s the sharing of those in the class that really brings the learning to life.
That’s why I like the title of facilitator instead of trainer. To facilitate means to make easy. I want it to be easy for my participants to learn. We should all try to be facilitators when it comes to communicating. If we want communication to go well, we need to make it easy for the other person to share their story.
When we listen well, there are tangible outcomes that are very positive. We can probe into problems and get to the correct solutions. We can air concerns and solidify relationships. We can offer assistance that’s needed and get results. I’ve also noticed that if I listen to someone else, they’re a lot more likely to listen to me.
Sometimes our emotions get in the way. It might be a sense of urgency, enthusiasm, or even anger that propels us into cutting the other person off. Or, we don’t cut them off, but we don’t really listen. While the other person is talking, we’re creating our next message in our head.
When I do a poor job of listening, I lose the other person’s perspective, ideas, opinions and needs. This loss isn’t acceptable to me, so I’ve had to put some habits into place that encourage me to be a better listener. Sometimes I write myself a note to “BE SILENT” when I’m communicating with others. This visual cue reminds me to be the listener once in awhile. I also make an effort to ask questions. This encourages the other person to share.
Vice President of USA Operations, Advanced Team Concepts
http://www.atctraining.com
For a couple of weeks, I’ve been focusing on the value of effectively communicating with those we work with. Whether face-to-face, on the phone, or via email, there are tools available that can help you compose and deliver your message in a clear and professional way. Today, I want to focus on what I consider one of the toughest aspects of communication.
Communication Key #4:
Listening. For many of us, this is a challenge. It certainly is for me. I’ve got a huge toolkit and lots of experience when it comes to sending the message. It comes naturally to me. That’s probably why I love training – I get to speak to an audience! But even when I’m facilitating, my ability to listen to the group is critical. I’ve got to hear my participants’ questions, concerns, and thoughts around the material that I’m presenting. Without their contribution, the learning experience is diminished. It’s the sharing of those in the class that really brings the learning to life.
That’s why I like the title of facilitator instead of trainer. To facilitate means to make easy. I want it to be easy for my participants to learn. We should all try to be facilitators when it comes to communicating. If we want communication to go well, we need to make it easy for the other person to share their story.
When we listen well, there are tangible outcomes that are very positive. We can probe into problems and get to the correct solutions. We can air concerns and solidify relationships. We can offer assistance that’s needed and get results. I’ve also noticed that if I listen to someone else, they’re a lot more likely to listen to me.
Sometimes our emotions get in the way. It might be a sense of urgency, enthusiasm, or even anger that propels us into cutting the other person off. Or, we don’t cut them off, but we don’t really listen. While the other person is talking, we’re creating our next message in our head.
When I do a poor job of listening, I lose the other person’s perspective, ideas, opinions and needs. This loss isn’t acceptable to me, so I’ve had to put some habits into place that encourage me to be a better listener. Sometimes I write myself a note to “BE SILENT” when I’m communicating with others. This visual cue reminds me to be the listener once in awhile. I also make an effort to ask questions. This encourages the other person to share.
Regardless of how you do it, find a way to listen. You’re probably familiar with Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Habit #5 encourages the reader to Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I love this, and personally commit to it. I know that if I miss this, and forget to listen, I’m not communicating successfully, no matter how polished the delivery of my own message. But if I truly attempt to understand the other person first, chances are I’m really listening and communicating well.
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