Everyone wants to feel that others are listening to them. But, most of us do not learn to listen. We learn to speak. All parents are excited when their children say their first words. We take speech in school. But, for most employees, having the manager listen to them is important. Active listening is a skill needed by managers. In the graphic above, The Center for Creative Leadership, lists seven key active listing skills:
- Be attentive.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Ask probing questions.
- Request clarification.
- Paraphrase.
- Be attuned to and reflect feelings.
- Summarize.
Class Discussion Questions:
Think about your own listening skills. Which of the seven key active listening skills do you need to develop? How will you do that?
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