How To Get People To Listen To You At Work

HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO YOU AT WORK

Have you ever been in a meeting and despite all of your best efforts, your ideas just weren’t being heard??Or perhaps you tried to share your ideas and you were just getting dismissed??Not feeling heard?is one of the biggest sources of conflict within the workplace.?

Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn where she interviewed author, and psychotherapist, Nixaly Leonardo.

They shared key tips and personal experiences on how to get people to listen to you at work. This?Soulcast Media | Live?event is brought to you by our amazing sponsors at?NeedThat?

NeedThat? is a modern independent publishing company that wants to cut through the noise of everyday consumerism.

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If you want to learn how to get people to listen to you, you’ll want to make sure you are an active listener as well.?Listening is key to impactful speaking.

1. WHEN SOMEONE ISN’T LISTENING

When it comes to?communication conflict, it is often because one person isn’t listening to the other person.?

You may find yourself in a situation where you are being talked over or aren’t given the opportunity to speak. This can be very frustrating.?You may not realize it, but that person is actually?communicating?something to you too. And depending on the situation, you will want to address it.?However, it is best to address how you are feeling when you?aren’t?in the heat of the moment.??

During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Nixaly outlined a strategy you can use when addressing not being heard.

• First, you will want to choose the right time and place.?
• Let the other person know that you’d like to touch base on something and it would be a quick meeting.??
• Once you are in the meeting, you will want to start the conversation from a positive point of view:?
• Positive Comment?– Similar to the?sandwich method?of feedback, starting with a positive statement will prevent the other person from becoming defensive.
• Concern?– After starting with a positive statement, you can then address your concern.
• Question?– After you state your concern, a great way to end is by asking a question. For example, you can say,?“do you feel like we are both communicating our messages?

When you feel like you aren’t being listened to, it is important to address the situation.?

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2. BEING HEARD IN A MEETING SETTING

When you are in a large meeting, whether it be in person or on video, it can be hard to get a word in.?

• Address the situation?– If this is a reoccurring theme, you’ll want to address it with specific?co-workers?who seem to constantly interrupt you, or your supervisor who can help troubleshoot.
• Send an Email?– If you weren’t able to get your ideas out during the meeting, consider sending an email. Email is still a form of communication while getting your ideas heard!

>> In our LinkedIn Learning e-course,?Speaking Up At Work (close to 200,000+ learners!)?you will learn how to actively build your authority and what steps to take to make sure your ideas are heard by the right people within your organization.?

3. REENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE WHEN THINGS GET OFF TRACK

Have you noticed that sometimes when you speak, you can tell others are simply lost or disengaged??Or, your idea keeps getting derailed and off track. Both of these scenarios are extremely frustrating and can throw you off your thinking too.

During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica, and Nixaly touched on what to do in both of these cases.?

What to do if the person you are speaking to derails your conversation and things start to get off track:

Try to redirect the conversation:

• Acknowledge first what the other person is trying to say.?For example, you can say,?“Okay, I’m glad you brought that up, I didn’t realize that was an issue. I do appreciate you bringing it up.?I definitely want to talk about this.?But we did start the conversation talking about XYZ, is it okay if we finish up that conversation and then continue talking about these concerns that you are having??I definitely want to address that. I just don’t want to get derailed.”??By acknowledging yet standing your ground, you are letting others know that you will respond to their comments but first, you’d like to finish yours.??

Acknowleding others is key because if the person feels dismissed, they will shut down too, meaning you will lose their attention.

What to do if people seem disengaged:?

• Tone + Volume?– Are you aware of the tone and volume of your voice? If your?tone of voice?is off, perhaps you are being sarcastic or patronizing, chances are your audience will stop listening.?If you are monotone and have little change in your?tone of voice, your audience will get bored and drift off.
• Body Language?– Your?body language?can show you are open to a conversation (or if you are uncomfortable and nervous!)?Your audience is picking up on that very quickly. In our e-course,?Mastering Non-Verbal Communications, you will learn how to effectively use body language to engage your audience.?

During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica reminded people that part of making sure people listen to you is?tailoring your message?to them.?You’ll want to think about who your audience is and what they want to hear.

If you feel like people aren’t listening to you, it is best that you address the situation.?The more you can collaboratively come up with ways to get your ideas heard, the better. Keep in mind your tone and body language as you speak.?And don’t forget to tailor your message!

If you would like to see the full LIVE version of Jessica and Nixaly’s conversation, check out?Jessica’s Youtube Channel.

Join us for an exciting Soulcast Media | Live event on September 22nd! This event is free! To reserve your spot, click here!

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This article is part of the?Soulcast Media Newsletter, which has over 8,000+ subscribers. If you like this article, feel free to?subscribe.

Be sure to follow Jessica Chen on?LinkedIn?and?Instagram?for regular communications tips you can use at work immediately!?Her videos can also be seen on?YouTube.

If you'd like to learn more about our communications services and how we work with individuals and companies, check out our website:?www.soulcastmedia.com.?