Is Anybody Listening?

Sometimes we wonder whether anybody is listening at all. We hear comments like these:

"Did you say that was for here, or to go?"

"You want that report by when. . .Wednesday or Thursday?"

"What did you say your name was, and what's the problem with your car?"

Yes, we have heard those comments, and many more, which indicate that the people we are talking with are not paying attention. So here is a superb way for you to stand out from the crowd and "Communicate for Success":

1. Listen carefully to everything someone says to you.
2. Give nonverbal signs you are listening--eye contact, nodding your head, sitting or standing alertly.
3. Use verbal cues to indicate attentiveness: "I see" "I understand" "And then what did you do next?"
4. Respond not just to facts but to the emotions expressed: "Your child is sick, you say. You must be very worried about that."
5. Use reflective listening: "It seems to me you are saying that you are disappointed because someone else got that promotion."
6. Repeat a person's name during the conversation. We really do love the sound of our own names. "Bill, I agree with you."

From more than twenty years of management experience, I am convinced that good listeners get much farther professionally and personally than outstanding speakers do. There are more good speakers than good listeners.

Try these tips, and you will become "The company other people love to keep."

Do your experiences confirm the power of listening? And what listening tips do you want to add?

For more information, please visit my Web site:

www.ChampionshipCommunication.com