How do you listen? I recently read that the skill which is most necessary to be an effective leader is ‘listening.’ In fact, some are so bold to say that you can’t become a great leader, until you are a great listener – which is often hard to do because most of the time our thoughts are consumed with our own agendas. Listening shows we really care about the person. Whether it is listening to a friend, co-worker or even a little child, here are some tips to being a better listener:
1. Spend more time listening than talking
2. Avoid finishing people’s sentences
3. Maintain eye contact
4. Think about what you’re going to say after they finish speaking-not while they are talking
5. Focus more on the other person than you do on yourself
How would you grade yourself in the art of listening?
