I do seem to blog about communication and listening a lot. But I do because it’s so important. Communication is so central to being a good human being, a good friend, a good worker, a good boss, a good spouse. . . You’d think more of us would be good at it. But we’re not. I’m not–but I’m aware of my shortcomings and I do strive to do better.
So when I read this post about listening, I knew I had to share it with you.
Listen, Understand, Act (Photo credit: highersights)
Communication means that someone sends a message and it is received and understood. In order to do that, the person receiving the message must LISTEN. Too often we are forming our own response when we should be listening to the full message. So try the 7 Rules of Listening, and see if they work for you. And add more rules of your own. My favorites are 1 (Don’t interrupt) and 4 (Use open body language.)
But perhaps my favorite part of the whole post is the part about a “rant date.” Sometimes a friend or colleague just needs to rant. And you just need to listen.
A Life in Libraries 