Taking the time to listen to how another person feels—without immediately and sometimes impulsively reacting—creates the space for both parties to feel heard. Try this exercise to strengthen your active listening skills. If you’re like most people, you’ve likely had the experience of listening on autopilot, when you think you are listening, only to realize[…]
It’s happened to all of us: You’re sitting down for dinner with an old friend to catch up. You’re in the middle of sharing an anecdote when their phone dings. Their eyes shift to the screen, and they slide their device into their lap to send a reply. Most of us have been on both sides[…]
What is Active Listening? The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication, and clear communication is necessary for management success.-James Cash Penney Active listening is when you are fully aware and concentrate on what is being said rather than passively hearing what the speaker is trying to convey. The goal of[…]
Uncertainty is unavoidable. As a manager, you need to be prepared to lead your team through murky waters, but doing so requires getting in the right mindset yourself. Here are six tips to help you shift your perspective: Embrace the discomfort of not knowing. Move from a know-it-all to a learn-it-all mindset. You don’t need[…]
Conflict in a relationship is virtually inevitable. In itself, conflict isn’t a problem; how it’s handled, however, can bring people together or tear them apart. Poor communication skills, disagreements, and misunderstandings can be a source of anger and distance or a springboard to a stronger relationship and a happier future. Tips for Effective Communication[…]
Race dialogues at work have the potential to leave minority employees feeling distressed, exhausted, or dismissed. The year 2020 has been a rough one, especially for Black Americans. The global coronavirus pandemic’s disproportional impact, combined with multiple police murders of unarmed Black people, cast a brighter light on systemic racism in the United States. In[…]
Open-mindedness is a characteristic that involves being receptive to a wide variety of ideas, arguments, and information. Being open-minded is generally considered a positive quality. It is a necessary ability in order to think critically and rationally. If you are not open to other ideas and perspectives, it is difficult to see all of[…]
7 tips for better communication We’ve all been taught to lead the conversation, but listening is the more powerful position. Behold the power of a good listener. When “Fleabag” star Phoebe Waller-Bridge recently tried to explain the obsession over the show’s break-out character — “Hot Priest,” played by actor Andrew Scott — she credited[…]
You’ll often change your results if you change your approach. Ever left a meeting with your boss feeling like they didn’t listen well enough or didn’t understand what you needed? Or maybe you don’t even bother to approach your boss because you don’t think they’ll see things your way. While there certainly are plenty of[…]
If you want to feel more connected to others, break out of your social comfort zone. Many of us have a lot in common with the people in our inner circle — which makes sense. We’ve taken the same courses in school or worked under the same boss. We’ve bonded over the books we’ve[…]