The following is based on Prince's "The Practice of Creativity," pages 41-45.
Many people view listening as the attempt to figure out as quickly as possible the essence of what somebody is saying, then the concoction of a response to this main point. This results in people talking at one another, rather than with one another.
Example:
A. Isn't the traffic ridiculous?
B. No kidding! I was stuck for over an hour this morning.
C. And then you have to deal with parking, which is a nightmare.
Typical responses evaluate what is said to you, from your own point of view and in your own frames of reference. True listening occurs when we listen with the intent to understand. Listening's goal is to understand the expressed ideas and attitudes from the other person's perspective, to gain a sense of what it feels like to him, to see things from his perspective.
Tips for becoming a better listener:
1. Restate what was said to you before expressing your own opinion
2. Use phrases such as: "Say more..." or "Tell me more..." or "Can you explain that more..."
No comments:
Post a Comment