I think the way I limit my listening is by judgements made while listening. I think this best way to work on this is to use rephrase,reflect and repeat. I think rephrasing will help me the most with this limit in my listening. I also plan to write "My Job is To Listen!" on paper and post where I see it everyday. Lorri Brown
Irene,
Glad to hear that you've found the course to be helpful. It's always good to increase your awareness about what works and doesn't work when it comes to your communication patterns. Sounds like you'll have the opportunity to insert new skills and ideas into your future communications - good luck!
Shannon Gormley
I have been able to concentrate better and listen carefully without distraction. This course has been an eye opener!!!
Thanks Irene. It sounds like you are becoming more aware of your limitations and that is the first step. After taking this course, how has your listening changed?
Shannon Gormley
Sometimes I would think of things I needed to do. Other times, I was already finding solutions to problems before the other person was done explaining. This course has helped me become aware and so far, these couple of weeks I have been able to concentrated more and actually listen without distractions. Thank you all!!!
MIGUEL ,
Great observations. It sounds like you pay close attention to the non-verbal cues that are also being displayed in the conversation. It's great that you have an awareness of what to look for when the cues and the message doesn't necessarily match up. How might the restlessness of your colleagues and students become a listening limitation for you, Miguel?
Shannon Gormley
I am always arranged to listen to and to analyze the restlessness of my colleagues and students because I think that it is the best way to have ample understanding
Julius ,
It can be so easy to become distracted when you have a number of things on your mind. It sounds like you're aware of what impacts your ability to be fully focused on your student in that moment. How might you work to eliminate this listening limitation?
Shannon Gormley
When I have more than one appointment with a student. I sometimes don't always hear word for word of what the student is saying.
You're not alone here, Meghan. It can be difficult to "turn the switch off" regarding all the tasks you need to accomplish to focus on another person. Having this awareness is key to help you address it. What are some of your ideas to reduce this limitation for yourself?
Unfortunately when im in a conversation i typically think of everthing i need to be doing, instead of listening intently.
Thanks for sharing Tricia! It sounds like you've been aware of what your listening limitation might be. I love that you've instituted a method to help you address this limitation - keep up the great work!
I tend to be judgemental. I say cancel cancel to myself when i feel those feeling or thoughts coming, and it usually puts my listening back on track.
Excellent observation, Jeriann. Knowing your listening limits is helpful as you work to address those. I love the recognition that there are multiple items throughout the day that "steal" your focus from your student/employee. And you are absolutely right...those items will still be there after your student/employee has gone. Would it be helpful to create a checklist for those items, so you know what's been accomplished or needs to be without distracting from your interactions?
I limit my listening by letting my mind wander to the other items I need to take care of rather than focusing on the student or situation. I need to learn to turn off my mind and focus entirely on the employee or student sitting in front of me. The other items will still be there when the conversation is over. If anyone has a suggestion on how to accomplish this I would greatly appreciate suggestions.
Ah yes, this seems to be a common limitation. Especially for folks that work with a number of students on a daily basis. It can be hard to clean your filter when student stories begin to sound alike. What might you do to help you not anticipate what the student might say next in order to get a clear understanding of their unique situation?
Anticipating what the student is going to say.
This is great awareness to have Tracy and something we see with many people when it comes to their listening limitations. It can be difficult to focus on the conversation when you feel you should be in problem solving mode. What do you plan to do in the future to decrease this listening limitation for yourself?
I think more often than not when I am listening to someone I am often thinking of my response as opposed to actually hearing what they are saying. Many times the details of the discussion escape me because I have already worked on preparing a repsonse while they were talking.
I get the sense that you try very hard to understand what the other person is saying and feel that it's important that you convey the right message back to that person, which is great. Repeating back what you've heard helps to demonstrate that you've been listening and it gives the other person the opportunity to clarify any informaiton that might have been miscommunicated. Taking notes can help to jog your memory when you're in conversation about key elements to address. All great practices, thanks for sharing Mark.
