How We Learn

We learn best by Thinking, Feeling, and Doing. Great knowledge is gained when they support our learning like a three-legged stool.

Learning good listening skills is uncomplicated. The effort results in workplace successes and healthy relationships where a deeper understanding of each other is valued.

Practice being present today.

               The big idea is to focus on the meaning of what is shared in the moment.

               Feels like being at a movie premiere of a greatly anticipated film.

                Remove any disruption like cell phones, pens and papers, or laptops. Stop tapping your foot, looking out a window, or picking at your nails. Lean in and make genuine eye contact.

Listen. Lead. Inspire.

To Listen

The Chinese symbol for listening is an inspiring image.

What happens when we attend to others like this?

What influence does this have when students are listened to this way, family is listened to in this manner, or clients are listened to with this kind of understanding?

Listen. Lead. Inspire.

Listen in

Good listening is learned. Being an effective listener takes practice.

An excellent training exercise is eavesdropping. Coffee shops, lunch places, and malls are superb practice fields.

Give yourself permission to observe, snoop, overhear, and listen in to the conversations and actions of those around you. Take a friend. Have fun. What did you learn about listening?

Listen. Inspire. Lead.

Being Remembered

There are five elements to effective listening: Hearing, Attending, Understanding, Responding, and Remembering. Seeing them from the speaker’s perspective clarifies successful results: Is the speaker being: Heard, Attended to, Understood, Responded to, and Remembered?

The subtlest nuance creates an outstanding listening moment. Getting out from your cubicle or desk, putting your phone on silent and out of sight, making eye contact, appreciates the speaker’s remarkable individuality.

Depending on the situation, crafting a unique listening space with different chairs, using a candle, or going for a walk tells the speaker they are significant.

Creating a listening event where the presenter feels like they are the most important person in the world values their time and changes lives.

Listen. Lead. Inspire.

I Listen Better than Most.

We think we listen better than others and others think they listen better than we do.

No one is born with more or less listening DNA or listening talent. We are influenced from birth learning positive and negative listening habits.

We can learn to be excellent listeners. These aptitudes are the foundation every effective listener practices first: Stop talking. Breathe. Lean in. Ask for clarification. Smile your genuine smile. Recognize their uniqueness. They prepare us to be mindful and present in the listening moment.

8X8 Principle. Practice one of the skills eight times a day for eight days as listening moments are presented. Add the next skill to the one you learned and practice them together eight times a day for eight days. When the skills feel natural and people experience and affirm your listening then you will have achieved great success.

Listen, Lead. Inspire.

Your Smile

One of the most important gifts you can give someone is your

irreplaceable,

unique,

extraordinary,

nothing-else-like-it-in-the-world,

glorious,

inspiring,

smile.

Good listening embraces genuine and authentic smiling. 

Someone today needs your remarkable smile. Really. Completely. Seriously.

Listen. Inspire. Lead.

Recognize

We spend a lot of time thinking about ourselves.

Effective listeners recognize others for who they are and appreciate their unique qualities. This creates a memorable listening experience where a person’s life matters.

You are the most important person in the world. You are incredibly valuable to the people around you.

When you listen today, let the other know how meaningful they are to you and how grateful you are for what they do.

Listen. Inspire. Lead.

Breathe. Repeat.

The single most important practice to being an effective listener is breathing.

Good breathing leads to healthy physiological and emotional results from happiness to sparking brain growth. Good breathing is intentional. Good breathing is from your diaphragm and is like drawing on your core for breath.

Taking in three deep breaths before every appointment today will lower your blood pressure and allow your mind the attentiveness you need to focus on the person or people before you. It takes practice.

Our Listening class breathes together three times to start each session. When students are given permission to breathe it fosters a safe space for learning because every student’s breath is valued.

Take a deep breath counting to three. Let your breath out slowly. Repeat.

Listen. Lead. Inspire.