Overview:
In today’s business environment, intense competition and rapid change have dramatically expanded the need for information. In the past, people had to know how to do their jobs, but now people need a picture of the business as a whole. That means having information about external influences and about the work of other functions. Proactive listening helps meet this need. It is also a powerful tool for building and maintaining strong relationships required to reach personal and organizational goals.
In this unit, participants learn verbal and nonverbal techniques for moving from a reactive to a proactive approach to listening.
Objectives:
- Identify situations in which good listening can make the difference between success and failure.
- List typical barriers to effective listening.
- List specific techniques to deal with communication styles they find challenging.
- Use the Key Actions to listen proactively.
- Identify steps they can take to reinforce proactive listening.
Key Actions:
- Show interest in what the person has to say.
- Ask questions to clarify, gather information, and focus the conversation.
- Let the person know what you understand.
