10 Steps To Become A Powerful Listener....

“You are not listening to me !!”

Have you ever said this statement before ?

I am sure you have - maybe to your spouse, your kids, your team members ??

And I am equally sure that you must have been on the receiving end as well

When someone says this to you?“You are not listening to me !!”

Despite being physically present?in the room, you are NOT listening !

Actually in such cases….

You are hearing, but NOT listening

There’s a big distinction between the two –?hearing v/s listening

Hearing is physical in nature

Listening is more emotional, more psychological

Listening is about filtering the noise to understand the signal

Listening is perhaps the most underrated communication skill.?Yet, the most important I believe

Infact, some of the best conversations happen when you are silent

And this is relevant both at workplace and in your personal life as well

Whether you are leading teams or building a relationship

When people feel heard, they connect with you, they can trust you

Being an effective listener also means managing your emotions, managing your own urge to react immediately

Now more than ever, there is an acute need for leaders to evolve into powerful listeners

To create trust and safe space for people to express

So how can you become a better listener ? How can you lead by listening ?

Here are 10 ways to becomes a powerful listener?:

1. Listen with true intent. You want to

This is the key. Not just for the sake of it

Whether it is a 1-1 conversation with your team member or a conversation with your partner, make sure your intention to listen to them is genuine

2. Listen to understand. Not to react

In most cases, people simply want to be heard. They don’t want you to respond immediately

3. Listen to what is said. Not what you want to hear

Many a times, you get into a conversation with a preconceived thought process. When that happens, you miss out on what is being said.

4. Be fully present.?Physically, mentally and emotionally

No distractions. When you are present and paying full attention, powerful conversations can take place

5. Don’t judge.?Just have open and honest conversation

When you start judging in the middle of a conversation, you stop listening as you end up creating strong filters.

6. Don’t interrupt. Remember, it is NOT about you

When you interrupt, it breaks the chain of thought of the other person. It also sends a signal that you probably want to say more than you want to listen

7. Maintain eye contact.?It shows that you are paying full attention to the other person

It shows them that you are there for them

8. Observe body language.?Both your own as well as the other person

Involve all your senses when listening. Also notice what’s happening in your body as the conversation flows

9. Mirror. Repeat.?It shows you are attentive

This is a very powerful neurological practice. When you repeat something which you have just heard, it again sends a signal to the other person that you are paying attention

10. Be curious.?Ask questions

Especially open-ended questions. It invites people to open up. Asking the right questions also indicates that you are genuinely interested in the conversation?

So next time around when you are having a conversation, try practicing these points to become a better listener so that….

..You can lead with empathy

..You can show that you care

..You can build trust and nurture relationships

..Or sometimes, listen to just be there for someone

Infact, don’t just listen….

Make listening your SUPERPOWER !

I would be interested to know which of the above points come in your way of becoming a better listener

Till then

Stay safe and stay healthy

Harsh

www.harshjohari.com

P.S. -?Here are some ways how I can help you in your transformation journey

1)?How to create an extraordinary?life?- If you really want to create a big?impact and create an extraordinary life, drop me a message.?

2)?Leadership?Resources?– Here are some free resources which I have developed for my clients. You can use them for your personal reflection or for your teams. If you need a copy of any of these, drop me an email :

a)?21?Powerful Questions Every Leader Should Reflect On

b) 7 Questions To Push You Out Of Your Comfort Zone

c) 5 Powerful Questions to Transform Yourself In 2022

d) 7 Reasons Why Leaders Resist Change

3) PLUS, whenever you are ready to step into your real power and go after what you truly want, you can book a short exploratory call here (Book Your Call )