Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main factors behind the success of Virgin.
. Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training for their employees, This is not surprise that best Managers and Leaders have the good listening skills which will lead to customer satisfaction, greater productivity, increased shared information that will lead to more creative and innovative work.We have one mouth and two ears so that we can speak less and listen more. But for most of us , we cant listen but we want to speak more. We are proud of our sweet tongue or voice and we will use it when needed as well not needed to bring in displeasure discomfort or happiness as the case may be. We can’t ignore our own sweet voice and that is why many speak non stop , whether required or not. Our traditional philosophy tradition and teaching gave more importance to Listening .
Our Gurus have advised us to listen more, To get the
listeners mode , only solution is to
stop speaking. When one stops talking, and is listening to others, the
importance of what others have to say will be understood. But the
interpretation of what one listens to is also important.
We have a habit of not listening fully. We listen with
disturbed mind. Each ones listen to ones own chattering mind. Very often we
listen to others with prejudice manner, with ego with no respect. We do not listen to the ideas
of others with an open mind. We forget who is speaking? What are the speakers objectives? Why the speaker is bring
this topic and objectives in these circumstances. We need to create a
analytical brain when we listen to understand the matter so deep so that we can
speak well after listening. Many don’t have that maturity , it is filled with
ego and we don’t do objective listening. We are not willing to accept what
others speak.
Lord Ganesha with huge ears gives an image that Lord
listen carefully and attentively to the words of others. The broken tusk of the Lord reveals that one
should master ones likes and dislikes. Our likes and dislikes are valuable. The
broken tusk represents operating from commitment : not from likes and dislikes.
The commitment in listening of others will increase the possibility of better
understanding and it will pave way to clear the misunderstandings, improve self
esteem , confidence , remove stress etc.
Listening is Not the Same as Hearing
Hearing refers to the sounds that enter your ears. It is a
physical process that, provided you do not have any hearing problems, happens
automatically.
Listening, however, requires more than that: it requires focus
and concentrated effort, both mental and sometimes physical as well.
Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages.
Tips for being a Good Listener
1.Give your full attention
on the person who is speaking. Don't look out the window or at what else is
going on in the room. Respect the speakers time and effort
2. Make sure your mind is focused . It can be easy to let
your mind wander if you think you know what the person is going to say next,
but you might be wrong! If you feel your mind wandering, change the position of
your body and try to concentrate on the speaker's words.
3. Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk .
Speakers appreciate having the chance to say everything they would like to say
without being interrupted. When you interrupt, it looks like you aren't
listening, even if you really are and also you tend to hit the flow of speakers
flow.
4. Let yourself finish listening before you begin to speak ! You can't really
listen if you are busy thinking about what you want to say next. Dont listen with a closed mind.
5. Listen for main ideas . The main ideas are the most
important points the speaker wants to get across. They may be mentioned at the
start or end of a talk, and repeated a number of times. Pay special attention
to statements that begin with phrases such as My point is... or The thing to
remember is.. or when the speakers says I want to emphasize.
6. Ask questions . If you are not sure you understood what the speaker has said, just ask. The questions should be to the relevant of the subject and it is not showcase our knowledge above the subject but to encourage the speaker to open up and ends up in good communication which may benefit all.
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Not because of lack of Trainers. But, for the lack of connect in the market.