Listen Up!

Listening is probably the biggest and most important communication skill that we put to use daily and one that we could all improve on. It is actually a learned skill as it does not come as naturally as you would think. You probably think you’re a pretty good listener but the fact is most people are not!

So how do you know if you’re a good listener? Well here are some of the signs to watch for.

1) Give your undivided attention when someone is talking to you, make eye contact and nod. Most of us are so used to multi-tasking these days that our attention spans are pretty short. We’re planning our next meeting, what we’re having for dinner or what we have to do next and don’t give our complete attention when someone is sharing with us.

2) A big one is try not to interrupt the person talking, let them share what’s on their mind before you chime in. A person who is always interrupting and wants to tell their story and talk about themselves is not a very good listener.  Don’t dominate the conversation, if it’s all about you it gets pretty boring.

3) When the talker is finished then feel free to ask questions and show genuine interest in what’s going on. Even though you may not agree with what they’ve shared you can show empathy and try to understand from their perspective.

4) Body language is another sign that can show if you’re interested in what the person is saying or not. A nod or a smile is positive while sitting with crossed arms might suggest you’re not wanting to hear or be part of the conversation.

Listening skills!

Some benefits of being an effective listener:

- develops patience

- can help us solve issues

- builds trust and better relationships

- become better at communicating in general

- helps you digest information and makes you think before you speak

Well I hope you learned or at least gave some thought to how you can become a better listener to those who you communicate with. Listening skills can be applied to a marriage relationship, parent to child relationship, a boss, at work with colleagues and of course friendships. 

I’ve been busy working on fresh designs and sprucing up my store. Stop by for a visit at Designs by Shell.

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