What are some strategies for staying focused during active listening sessions?

What helps me and my coach trainees is being prepared - How? Through Mindfulness practice on daily basis. Maintaining a journal for our self awareness about our energy in motion, that helps to tune into and observe others emotions too. Being SILENT as LISTENing becomes so much easier when we prime our inner chatter to become silent and be fully present for the other. Setting an intention with water in our hands and charging it to stay open, flexible and go with the flow of the conversation. Staying curious and genuinely interested to know the speaker.

Pausing during, pausing before to prepare and pausing to reflect after a session all are important steps. Clutter in my day needs clearing so keeping the calndar a bit loose on coaching days helps me.

1. Maintain a positive outlook with professionalism. 2. Lend your ears for active listening. 3. Be mindful. 4. Take notes and stay Engaged. 5. Paraphrase key points to reinforce understanding.

From my experience, there are two ways to be prepared to listen with presence: 1. Grounding myself and taking a few moments to connect with myself and check in with how I'm doing; and remind myself that I want to go into the conversation with a willingness to be led by the other person, and openness to discover something new. 2. The second and equally necessary preparation is to have a larger practice of mindfulness and presence so I can draw on it when I'm listening.

1) I am mindful of...what is the energy that I carry to the conversation, what remnant of the previous activities or meetings, breath, a few sec or mins of self check helps to name what I am feeling and prepare with openness, if not at least acknowledge it. 2) I choose the day and time of the session as much possible when my energy and availability is better and I am available than the fag end of the day.

Beyond eliminating external distractions, it's important for coaches to know what else can take us out of active listening. That includes things like: - My body is uncomfortable - I'm tired today - I have something going on that's weighing on my emotions - My client just said something that made me think of three related things I keep a couple of crystals at my desk, and will pick one up when I notice that I'm having a hard time focusing. The weight of it in my hand brings my attention back to center, and reminds me that there is nothing else that needs my attention right now more than the human being in front of me.

I have a tendency to shift to solution mode too early. To stay in the moment and not get distracted by thoughts related to solutions, I jot down a short note (one word) so that I can get back to listening.

Para mantener la concentración en escucha activa, haz esto: Primero, respira, vacía tu cabeza, que no hay nada más que tú y quien habla. Olvídate del móvil, que no hay peor enemigo para la atención. Escucha, no solo oigas. Mira a los ojos, asiente, pero no te pierdas en tus respuestas mientras el otro habla. Si te despistas, reconócelo, vuelve al ruedo. Y recuerda, la atención es como un músculo, cuánto más la entrenas, más fuerte se vuelve. Así que, a practicar.

I understand the significance of eliminating distractions during coaching sessions. As a coach, I know that my coachees need an environment where they can fully engage in the coaching process. It's not just about turning off phones or closing emails; it's about signalling to coachees that their growth and development are top priorities.

Intention setting is important. Frequently, past interactions prevent you from resetting. So shift your state by doing a quick reset. A mindfulness exercise can help, but might take too long. I have a 3-2-1 technique that helps me to focus my intent. A mental command such as "I'm centered and focusing on being my best version in 3... 2... 1". This helps me set intention fast, and get ready for back to back coaching sessions in a day.

Active listening and the use of non-verbal cues, such as summarising and reflecting, help individuals feel heard and validated. This, in turn, lowers stress levels and contributes to overall well-being. In the context of leadership, reduced stress among leaders can lead to better decision-making, enhanced team dynamics, and a healthier work environment.

Non-verbal patterns are part of listening. However, it is likely that most people will listen superficially. The way to do this well is to listen to "what is not said". For instance, one might mention that they are feeling "great", but their facial expressions are downcast. Pointing this out can be far more powerful than simple "yes" and "uh-huh". Conversely, when they say something and light up, a great coach will notice this change and affirm the coachee. "I noticed that you perked up with energy when you were talking about your pets." The reason for this is so as to find a resourceful edge within your coachee to facilitate their outcomes.

Being nindful of my thoughts and emotions and sharing them appropriately is part of the connection process. Without doing this I also do not know how to provoke, stimulate or challenge my coachee. My inner broadcast is important and I take the step of ding that while in the session itself. This is active listening at its best.

I advise coaches to adopt a curious and open-minded approach towards coachees. This fosters an environment where coachees feel safe expressing their thoughts and concerns. Coaches need to convey that their role is to support and facilitate growth, not to judge or impose personal beliefs. This approach empowers coachees to explore their own solutions and perspectives.

The approach to managing emotions is holding space. It means that a nonjudgemental approach must be adopted. How I work with this is to calibrate to my own mental judgements and ask about meta information. For instance, a person may be in a highly complex set of personal relationships. Rather than "messy", I'd reframe that in myself as "complex". Rather than state my position, I'll inquire about the context and process. By sticking to context and process, I often avoid the need to even be judgemental, and stay curious to learn together with the client or coachee.

It's not just about coaches evaluating their own performance but also about inviting coachees to provide insights on the coaching experience. By asking coachees about their feelings and preferences regarding the listening and communication style, coaches can fine-tune their approach. This strengthens the coaching relationship by demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.

Acredito que um líder eficaz em um ambiente de escritório deve possuir habilidades sólidas de comunica??o e demonstrar escuta ativa com sua equipe, promovendo assim o engajamento e a coopera??o necessários para alcan?ar resultados positivos.

Seeking feedback is essential for coaching improvement. At the end of each session, I ask clients, "What did you find most valuable today?" or "Where should we start next time?" This not only emphasizes feedback's significance but also provides valuable insights. I also engage in self-reflection, utilizing self-assessment questionnaires and session recordings to enhance my coaching approach. Lastly, as coaches, we must lead by example, recognizing that seeking coaching is integral to our growth. This commitment fosters an environment of openness and continuous learning, benefiting the coach and their clients.

Here is something I would invite you to try before your next meeting or coaching Imagine a person that if they would be here right now, you would bring your best listening to. You would be open hearted, listen with full attention. They say something you don’t like and you give them the benefit of doubt. If they challenge you , you still are on board. Write down a name, an actual person .. not an idea. That is the listening distinction for you. You can choose to bring that level of listening in any conversation For me it is Hajra, my sister who I bring the most open and best listening to. I choose to bring HAJRA LISTENING in any conversation and it’s been transformational ?? Would you try that today? Love to hear from you

Practice Mindfulness: Be present in the moment. Avoid letting your mind wander or think about your response while the other person is speaking.

Your breath can be an underrated yet very important tool here. It's normal to have fluctuations in your focus, but remember to breathe before your session, and notice during the session if your mind wanders, and gently bring it back using a breath.

Paraphrase and Summarize: Periodically paraphrase or summarize what the speaker has said. This not only demonstrates your attentiveness but also helps you internalize the information.

Also be humble. Just because some body is seeking help doesn't make that person lesser in any way. Be grateful to the almighty for making u capable enough to help others. This attitude brings a vibrational shift in the coach and gives amazing results to the coachee. Tried and tested formula