I limit my listening skills when I am not interested in the topic.
Excellent! To be listened to - REALLY listened to is truly a gift you give to others. Thank you for sharing your story!
You know, I used this today. While talking with my spouse, I turned the Television off so it could not compete with her. I will be watching for other areas to do the same. I realize it is so important to be tuned in to your conversation 100%.
Yes, thinking about one's response while the other person is talking is quite common (unfortunately). How do you think you'll "undo" this?
My guess is you will not only work on your listening but will be a master in no time. Continued success Benedict!
I think this is the biggest weakness in all areas of my life. I have been successful at most endeavors; however listening has probably kept me from even greater acheivements. This is in my marriage, family and in my profession. If there was one part of this course that I think will benefit me most it will be this module. So long as I work at it.
I think I limit my listening by thinking about what I want to say in response to a question before the person is done speaking.
Thank you for your honest assessment, Benedict. Sometimes it's hard to come to terms with our own limitations but alas...we're all human. And who isn't guilty of multi-tasking?
Your keen awareness is a great first step to improving your listening already. Congratulations!
I need to work on a couple of areas. First and foremost I need to work on not allowing my bias to limit my listening ability. Secondly, I need to become much more active at eliminating all outside distractions and give my complete attention to the person with whom I am communicating and or listening to. Multi tasking can realy impede getting the message out as well as receiving the message.
Yes, this is a common limitation of many admission professionals. Oftentimes, it's a result of working closely with students with a desire to help them solve their problems. Sometimes, as you may be more aware now, it is helpful to allow them to discover things on their own. That way they have more ownership to the solution, too. Great insight, Victor!
I limit my listening skills by thinking of the answer before they have finished talking.
Maria that is a wonderful technique that will surely help you focus on listening vs. the internal dialogue. My guess is you'll also start to see a closer connection and rapport with your students. This technique will also help avoid miscommunication. Continued Success to you Maria! Thanks for your thoughtful posts!
I will actively listen by eliminating internal distractions. I think the suggestion in the training to repeat, rephrase and reflect is a good way to measure whether I am actively listening.
Great, Maria. My question for you is then...what will you do differently to get past those listening limitations?
This is a tough one! It certainly can be hard to listen to others when you may already know (or assume to know) what they need. The important insight here is sometimes THEY need to think it through and say it for themselves.
I limit my listening by mentally finishing what they are going to say and thinking of how I will respond. I also tend to interrupt when something they say hits a chord with me. I will work on letting them talk until they are done and really trying to see how I can help them based on what they day. I like the comment made about reiterating what they say in order to avoid miscommunication and increase understanding.
Couldn't have said it better myself, Elaine! FOCUS will also help you read what they are saying beyond the simple words they utter. So much can be learned by watching and reading your audience. Great insights!
"FOCUS"... it is the number one key to giving the person you are speaking to your full attention. If they have taken time out of their schedule to sit down and speak to you, you must be able to listen to everything they have to say.
Great insight, Irene. Sometimes half the battle is understanding what we do that may impede good communication. The other half of the battle is choosing to do something differently - so easy just to keep doing things the same old way. It does sound as if you found a tool (Repeat, Reflect, Rephrase) that will help you. Good luck and continued success!
