Good Listener Lesson at Life Coach Boot Camp

Visit: https://lifecoachbootcamp.com/good-li... Good Listener by: George Tannous, PhD Become a Certified Life Coach Sometimes when speaking with a stranger, we feel an instant connection. We get a certain sense of familiarity, a sense of belonging, and we look forward to seeing this person again. The conversation flows so effortlessly that we lose track of time, and we feel comfortable with opening up to this person. Whereas in some cases, while having a conversation with someone, even a close friend, we keep looking at our watch, we become distracted and sometimes, we make a lame excuse to leave. So, what’s the difference between these scenarios? Why was one conversation enjoyable while the other was exhausting? The difference is our listening skills. Would you like to engage in a conversation with a person who only talks about himself? Would you like to have a conversation with a person who is always distracted by his phone? Would you like to have a conversation with a person who is a know-it-all? A positive and constructive conversation requires the proper exchange of dialogue but listening also plays a crucial role. People who develop listening skills spend 45% of the time listening to the other person while having a conversation. We all have heard that we should develop good listening skills. But what does it mean to be a good listener? And how can someone listen poorly? Let’s find out. Traits of a poor listener and a good listener: A poor listener is often self-absorbed. He gets easily carried away by his abundance of thoughts, opinions, and ideas and keeps on talking and talking about himself. He becomes so keen to share that he completely ignores what the other person has to say. In addition to this, a poor listener is usually distracted. It could be by his phone or his surroundings. He sees something and he immediately clings to it. He easily sidetracks the conversation by bringing up something completely new or kills the interest of the speaker by not paying attention. Another trait of a poor listener is that he keeps rambling about himself and dismisses the opinions of others. He acts as if he has everything figured out and doesn’t need to listen or pay attention to others. Apart from all this, a poor listener interrupts the speaker repeatedly. He cuts the speaker off in the middle to interact with other people or makes poor eye contact. In addition to this, a poor listener corrects the speaker in front of everyone in a degrading manner to prove his points. And last but not least, a poor listener has very dull body language. But in the case of good listeners, everything is exactly the opposite. A good listener not only listens to the words of the speaker but also pays attention to their body language, gestures, signals, etc. A good listener maintains the right amount of eye contact with the speaker and demonstrates that he is grasping everything the speaker is saying using non-verbal signals like smiling or nodding. A good listener also encourages the speaker by completing his sentences and asking questions at appropriate times. A good listener supports the speaker and creates a healthy environment where the speaker feels comfortable. But why should we aim to be good listeners? What’s in it for us? Why should we focus on listening to others when we can talk our hearts out? Benefits of being a good listener: There are several upsides of being a good listener. When you practice good listening skills, it opens your mind to new ideas, fresh perspectives, and new ways. Good listening not only helps you gain access to new insights but also allows you to form lasting bonds with people around you and strengthen your interpersonal relationships. In addition to this, developing good listening skills helps you grow personally as well as professionally. Contine Reading at lifecoachbootcamp.com.