We are currently looking for an Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to "Listening Skills". If you have expertise in Listening Skills and your own website and/or product for this topic, please review this form for complete details. The Official Guide Position is part of our Premium Placement Package
At a late morning meeting recently with a fellow entrepreneur, as we were wrapping up I mentioned my next meeting had been postponed and asked if he had time to grab a bite to eat and he responded how lucky I was to “afford the luxury of lunch.” His comment made me realize that life and ... Views: 1592
One of the most important traits of all motivators at work is consideration. Employees report that the best managers they ever had were people who cared about them as people and as friends. These managers took the time to ask them questions about their lives, and to listen patiently while they ... Views: 1193
4
Your rating: NoneAverage: 4(1 vote)
People Skills - by Thomas Chalmers and Michael Imani, Ph.D.
PEOPLE SKILLS
“I’ve had a wonderful evening,” Groucho Marx once said after a very dull party, “but this wasn’t it.”
Are you comfortable walking into a room full of people you don’t know? Breaking into a new circle, club or group isn’t always easy but here are a few ideas you might want to ... Views: 970
Larry thought he was a great listener. That morning while drinking his coffee his wife was complaining about the kids. “They never pay attention to anything I say.” She went on to list all the mundane mishaps of each child. Larry tuned her out. He heard little after the first sentence. ... Views: 1420
Praising a child correctly is important to the development of positive behaviors. It’s a great way to encourage constructive future behavior. When you give praise you are giving your child a feeling of positive feedback, which increases their sense of confidence, self esteem and abilities. ... Views: 2204
Zen: Finding enlightenment through intuition and introspection.
Listening: Making an effort to attentively hear another person speaking.
Therefore Zen Listening might be best described as the art of using one’s intuition and introspection to be fully present with another person during a ... Views: 2254
Relative silence -
May 24, 2007
OK, now for our daily muse:
This is for listeners, and musicians alike, part in response to
comments and complaints from performers, and part just blathering.
Relative Silence
"Do what your heart tells you to do."
That's what she always told me. That loving ... Views: 971
When I was younger, I played guitar, and that opened many doors. People would come over in the evening just to share music, sitting in a circle in the living room, playing and singing. Picking up a guitar and lunching into a song was a sure way to meet people. One of the keys to that though, was ... Views: 1399
The Art of Active Listening
There is an old German proverb that says “No man has learned to speak well until he has first learned to hold his tongue.” But many of us are so used to speaking with others throughout the course of a day, and so eager to get our opinions heard, that we tend to ... Views: 1220
“He who guards his mouth preserves his life.” - Proverbs 13:3
Have you ever been in a one-sided conversation? The other person is talking incessantly, leaving no room for you to speak. How about this scenario: You are conversing with someone and you feel very distracted and unfocused? You ... Views: 2687
Ever been chatting with someone and, before you can even finish your sentence, they interrupt to share their own thought or finish yours for you? Or perhaps you are in the middle of making an important point and their attention is pulled away as they check their ringing cell phone, send an email ... Views: 6562
When most people think about communication, it’s about the words and phrases that are spoken in a conversation. However, another important part of communication is the role of body language and gut feelings. In fact, over 80% of what you say to others is through facial expressions alone. ... Views: 2719
Have you ever played the telephone game? You know, person A whispers something into the ear of person B, who whispers the very same thing (hopefully) into the ear of person C, who whispers that same message (theoretically) into the ear of person D, and on and on until they reach the end of the ... Views: 2434
The world is constantly communicating with you through feedback. Feedback comes in many forms and it is very helpful in moving you toward your successes, if you choose to respond to it.
Think about feedback as your goals talking back to you. When your actions are not in line with your goals, ... Views: 1309
One key to becoming a great conversationalist is to pause before replying. A short pause, of three to five seconds, is a very classy thing to do in a conversation.
When you pause, you accomplish three goals simultaneously.
The Benefits of Pausing
First, you avoid running the risk of ... Views: 1460
I am always fascinated by what people say about others. Inevitably, what people say about others says mountains about them. I remember one student of mine who loved to complain about his wife's communication ability. He loved to tell the class, "She's got an attitude. She never makes sense. She ... Views: 4683
What does it take to really hear someone? In a previous article I discussed 4 types of listeners-Compassionate, Too Busy to Listen, Trees for Forrest, It's Me. Each of us has a bit of all four of these types and yet we all aspire to the Compassionate Listener. Some of us think we are ... Views: 2393
What is Deep Listening?
From "Slowing Down to the Speed of Love"
Deep listening occurs when your mind is quiet. Your thoughts are flowing rather than crowding your mind with distractions, interpretations, judgments, conclusions, or assumptions. Your mind is open, curious, interested -- as ... Views: 14347
We’ve heard of leadership styles and communication styles. Have you ever wondered about your listening style? Most self-assessments do not measure how we listen. Yet, we all recognize how important listening is to communication. Many people say that listening ranks much higher than actual ... Views: 11938
Where’s the Connective Flow?
With so many things shifting in our world today, it’s hard not to get carried away with political rhetoric, fear, anxiety, etc. So often, in times such as these, it’s easy to just want to control your own little piece of the world and micro-manage all that comes ... Views: 1589
You are unacquainted with the case details.
Efforts at "winging it" in the interview room or going on a "fishing
expedition" very rarely produces positive results. You should
always approach every interview with the "construction of proof"
as your objective. That's for all interviews - ... Views: 1424
One thing is true, whether a child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or not, children need attention from their parents. Our attention comforts and teaches. It is the most important thing in their young lives.
Another truth is children want to succeed; they want to be good. They ... Views: 1367
A reader emailed me with a question: "You give points on being a good listener. I try, but I find myself at times interrupting because I'm so afraid I'm going to forget what I have to say. I've been told to keep a pen and paper handy to jot down what I want to say once the speaker has finished. ... Views: 11046
In my work with individuals and couples, I see many people who have a difficult time expressing and managing angry feelings. Let's take a look at what causes people to become angry and how they can respond to stressful situations more productively.
What Is Anger?
Many people think that ... Views: 1447
I have long been of the view that “normal” behaviour is bizarre. After all, the Universities of Chicago and Milan calculate that so-called “normal” people use just 1% of their mental capacity to do what they’re doing in the here and now. The rest of their mental energy is wasted on looking ... Views: 4205
Studies have shown that most managers spend between 60 to 80 percent of their workday communicating with other people on the telephone, in meetings, and in casual conversations. Assuming we listen as much as we speak, which is a pretty big assumption, we spend a good portion of our day in ... Views: 1364
In my opinion, there is no greater way to show love and devotion for our friends, family, loved ones, etc., than to truly listen to them. And by listening, I mean listening from the heart. I am sure none of you can relate to this, but I have actually had experiences of people texting DURING ... Views: 991
Listen – Who are you listening to? The person that you need to listen to is you. Inside you is your heart’s desire, and I want you to commit today to truly ?gure out your “Why”. Your Why is the reason that you get out of bed each day, the reason that you continue to build your business despite ... Views: 1336
Why am I talking about love in the context of business? And no, I don’t mean a passionate office romance. I’m talking about the fact that loving my clients has been a key to success in my business. It hit me several years ago when someone asked me the secret to my success...without ... Views: 1511
Is your team struggling with communication or trust issues? Very often those issues boil down to personalities - a misunderstanding of different personalities. Team building activities that focus on personality styles can be a great way to boost morale and reduce conflict. By understanding the ... Views: 2467
How can you tell if someone has low self esteem? Are there some tell-tale signs you can easily recognize? Actually, there are. People with low self-esteem, or lacking in self confidence, will usually exhibit certain verbal and non-verbal behaviour which points to their insecurity—clues you ... Views: 6007
If you are reading this, you are open to learning. If you are open to learning, you most likely have desire to teach others as well. As coaches and teachers, we so much want to help people. We hear them mention something and suddenly we really want to share with them all of the wisdom we have ... Views: 2033
Many have long touted the efficiency of multitasking, especially with the availability of the numerous technological tools for busy executives, but recent research studies have proven otherwise. In one research study to test attention and memory, “low multitaskers” consistently outperformed ... Views: 2769
Evidently, and independently of age, social background or education, the majority of people like to sing, some of them recreationally, but a lot of them have dreams of one day becoming a professional singer/performer.
Some people think; how hard could that be?? Let’s just open the mouth and ... Views: 2041
Last night I was at another business networking event where everyone was trying to sell me and only talk about their business. It felt like I was getting "pitched to death," and a few times all I could think was, "I'd never do business with you..."
So here's the question:
"Are these events ... Views: 2099
Listening is such a simple process. One person talks, the other person listens. Or do they?
We often confuse hearing with listening. The two are different, though both are done with our ears. Hearing is a natural function of the ear which involves the reception of sound. It's one of your ... Views: 5017
Overcoming Risk Aversion in Selling
Help clients move forward in the selling process
The deadline is approaching, your month is ending and the prospects that should be closing and going for it are not!
What is a salesperson to do! We done the discovery, asked the questions, provided the ... Views: 2119
The mere mention of the word “negotiation” creates a rather visceral response in people.
For some, it’s excitement around competing for, and striking, the best deal. Others (likely the majority), cringe at the thought of the back-and-forth, trying to guess what will, and will not, ... Views: 2947
Did you know there are Six Messages in any conversation?
• What you Mean to say
• What you Actually say
• What the other person Hears
• What the other person Thinks he/she hears
• What the other person Says
• What you Think the other person says
No wonder we have communication ... Views: 2551
You’ve just met this person at the office, and 2 minutes into the conversation, oops! Her name flies out the window of your memory. When you’re talking to your neighbor, you forget her name, too. Welcome to the club. What are you going to do now?
Begin With These 3 Tips:
1. Stay calm.
2. ... Views: 2961
How many of us have walked into a room full of people and wanted to turn around and leave? When I think about networking events, my heart freezes. Didn’t our mothers teach us not to speak to strangers? Yet, in this article we're going to examine how to talk to strangers.
First thing you need ... Views: 1394
When you meet someone for the first time in a business setting, you may only have one chance to make a connection that lasts. So how can you make the most of the opportunity? Here are three steps to help you make a good impression and build strong business relationships. Use these to make better ... Views: 3614
If you would like to try something new and fun that can help you as a business owner, try taking an improv class. It may not be what first comes to mind as a traditional learning environment for the purpose of developing new skills, but what you will discover about yourself in the process is ... Views: 1612
Telephone. Tell a phone. There are times when I get the feeling I’m talking to a phone instead of over the phone. Incoming telemarketing calls don’t allow for meaningful connections. And by all reports, cold calls are another example of missed opportunities. Yet there’s no question that you can ... Views: 2009
The big secret to influencing skills is not what you probably expect. Want to know what the big secret in the world of powerful influencing is? It’s simple---listening. Yes, it is in the way you listen to be exact. You got to know and learn how to listen to explore this empowering force in ... Views: 1514
A World of Meaning
Idioms are phrases with special meanings. Straightforward idioms are usually ones all speakers of English can understand. Clichés are said to be overused phrases – but some so-called clichés are so apt (suitable) that they convey a world of meaning to us and more importantly ... Views: 3396
Toronto is a well known Canadian city that is situated in Ontario. It is a very beautiful city full of natural sceneries scattered all over the city. It is one of the most populous cities in Canada and has a lot of facilities. The city is developing very quickly and the population is also ... Views: 2244
One in 10 Americans has a loss of hearing. It can begin as early as age 20. Hearing declines significantly after age 40.
The baseline or threshold for normal hearing is 0 decibels. A decibel (dB) is a measure of sound pressure level. The higher the decibel, the louder the noise. The pain ... Views: 1805
Some people are effective listeners and some are not. The difference between being a good listener and a bad one lies in the way that you interact with the speaker. A good listener is intimate with the speaker in that he or she listens on a whole different level. An average listener will hear ... Views: 3386
Connecting with Your Inner Voice
Norma T. Hollis
Do you listen to your inner voice? This is the voice that speaks within you that no one hears except you. Each person has one. Some recognize it and some don’t. Some are even frightened of the voice. But it’s a voice that is your friend and ... Views: 8127