Active Listening Skills – Blog #9

Active Listening Skills 

Blog #9

Published on 9/30/13

By Tracey Batacan

When was the last time you listened at work with your entire body, mind and heart? For example, you are in a meeting or a conference call and you decided to put down your smart phone or other digital device and truly decided to be fully engaged in the listening process?

Often, it is a challenge to stop and focus one’s listening sometimes because there are so many other deadlines and responsibilities we need to balance. When you leverage good listening skills it allows you to take on new assignments as well as networking opportunities. It also shows people that you are focused on them and their needs.

Some may feel the attempt to stop everything and use active listening at work prevents them from tackling other tasks simultaneously. It may. Yet expending additional efforts to listen will help make you a better organizational freelancer. Some benefits of active listening include:

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• Obtain clarity on goals and tasks
• Provide feedback
• Increase trust among colleagues
• Effectively manage priorities
• Let people know that you are present and in the moment
• Generate creative ideas to achieve the best results
• Innovative conflict resolution
• Reflects a complete commitment to the process

Dedicated to HB on 9/30/13. Congratulations on a new year!