Welcome to Module #5 of the coaching program on
“Say It! Hear it! The Power of Effective Communication.”
You have covered a lot so far in this program by:
- exploring the four sides of communication,
- discovering how challenging, yet important it is to connect,
- assessing your communication skills.
In the remainder part of the program, you will look at the other side of communication – the messages you receive.
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When asked to define communication, most people describe the techniques used to express what they think and feel.
However, listening is more important than speaking in communication.
To improve your communication, good listening skills must be a key part of your communications strategy.
* * *
Put down your pen, sit back in your chair and get comfortable. For the next minute, close your eyes and listen to your surroundings, noticing the sounds you hear in the ‘silence.’ After one minute, come back to this module.
* * *
Listening seems quite passive and easy. But we all know it takes discipline and focus to be a good listener.
Most people think they are good listeners and that they hear everything people tell them.
But are these people really listening when they hear what people are telling them?
Do they really comprehend what is behind the words being expressed?
When it comes to listening, the way we listen determines what we hear.
Listening is an in-the-moment skill that only the very best possess because they practice.
This means all of us have the capability of being good listeners; we just need to work at it.
