Spotlight on: Listening
What’s the difference between hearing and listening? Attention.
Listening is not passive: it is active.
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to repeat back what someone has
just said, to ‘prove’ we heard them? We may have heard them, but did
we listen to them? Did we really give them our attention? Did we
understand their meaning?
We are bombarded by waves of noise all day, so much so that we
become immune to much of it. In response, the volume goes up!
People shout simply to be heard. To be genuinely heard requires active
listening. Those of you who have done one of our courses know that
active listening is listening with an open mind, an open heart and our
full attention. Active listening comes from a deeper place inside us. It
comes from our inner stillness; that point where we are not searching
for a response, but we are empty, focusing our attention on the
speaker.
(Continued below)
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Gossip-busting
Creating a zero-tolerance culture for gossip and rumour
It is all too easy to get sloppy in our communication, to not give the
best of ourselves. Gossip is a great example: it wastes time, lowers
morale and saps energy, leaving everyone involved feeling slightly
worse.
Gossip is a subtle form of aggression. It creates a ‘them and us’ culture
that is divisive and undermining. It feeds people’s fear, discontentment
and resentment. It is neither forward-looking nor inspiring.
It is possible to eradicate gossip in one go. All it takes is a team
agreement to a zero tolerance policy on gossip. Even if others aren’t
on board, by simply stating that you do not want to take part in those
conversations you can create an alternative, making colleagues think
twice.
When we expect the very best of ourselves and others, we no longer
accept sloppiness; we hold ourselves to the highest standards of
behaviour. We choose our words carefully, mindful of their impact on
our colleagues and on our teams.
The Hot Seat
Elliot Seymour, QinetiQ
“Elliot has a genuine commitment to the people he works with and
wants to help them think through whatever issues are affecting them.
His selflessness means that he’s willing to go the extra mile to sort out
problems and ensure people get what they need. He’s always positive
and good humoured, even when he’s under pressure.”
Our thanks to Elliot’s colleague for this month’s contribution. Write in and
nominate your colleague for our February issue: just send us a short paragraph
about why you appreciate working with them.
Spotlight on: Listening (Continued from above)
It’s that focus and attention that allows us to hear not just the words, but the meaning of the words.
The essence of what is being communicated.
World class listening is a powerful business tool. Many of the conversations we have at work are repeats
of earlier conversations where we, and others, did not pay attention. Actively listening at work allows
us to be more productive, it helps us zoom in on the meaning of the words and conversations: clear
understanding is vital for effective action. This single tool saves time, creates a ‘can-do’ culture and
ensures that people feel that their words and work are important and valued.
So, how do we start? World class listening is like any skill, it needs to be practiced. A little and often is
always good practice! Make a concrete goal, for example, to listen actively at a particular meeting each
day, or in three conversations each day. At the end of the day, take a minute to reflect on the impact
that your active listening had, which can be anything from shorter meetings to a gentle sense of
satisfaction we get from achieving a goal. The difference active listening makes may be subtle, but it is
always there.
Lamont Associates, 3 Kinross Avenue, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 9EP. Phone: 01344 628329
Web: www.lamontassociates.com
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