Developing OPTIONS for Listening For Intent
Introduction
The consequences of failing to listen range from vital information getting lost and ideas not being properly explored, to hasty decision-making and inadequate consideration of alternatives. Furthermore, morale and teamwork suffer because people realize that their ideas, beliefs, and convictions are not being heard and that, as a result, they cannot affect the decisions being made or actions being taken. You can easily see why the failure of people to listen to each other results in inefficient organizations. When active listening is absent, we tend to repeat ourselves until we feel we’ve been heard, or we finally give up and just comply with a given decision.
Most of us probably spend more time listening than we do in applying all the other interpersonal skills and communication behaviors combined, yet listening is the skill we do most poorly and seldom practice to improve.
Becoming a more active listener sounds easy, but in reality it is one of the most difficult aspects of effective communication. Active listening takes motivation to master, knowledge of the OBSTACLES that are keeping you from listening effectively, and a WAY FORWARD—a game plan to overcome those obstacles.
Increase your ability to Listen for Intent by watching the video and answering the questions below to create OPTIONS for improving this vital skill.