Welcome to this episode of Jack Chat and another tiny lesson in leadership, straight up.
In this episode, I’d like to talk about an incredibly important skill (trails off…) excuse me – are you listening? You know I can see you. Just kidding. That would be creepy…and probably illegal…
Anyway, I need you to listen because I’m going to talk about listening. A fundamental skill for leading in any situation.
Did you know there is more than one kind of listening? For example, there is “reflective or internal” listening. This is the kind of listening you’d use in a training session, for example, to take in new information and judge its meaning or relevance to you.
The kind of listening I want to talk about is called mindful listening and it’s used to create meaningful connection and support. You can see why that would be important to leading, but unfortunately, it’s rarely used in busy, high-pressure work environments.
Mindful listening means giving your full attention to the other person. While you will remain aware of your own thoughts and feelings as they arise, you don’t allow them to dominate in your mind.
The two habits that will get in the way of mindful listening are…
…judging…
…and mind wandering…
Here are some self-reflection questions to help you avoid those unhelpful habits and be a more mindful listener starting today!
- What is my biggest obstacle to mindful listening?
- How will I prepare to give my full attention to the other person?
- What will I do to stay mindful throughout the conversation?
Give those questions some thought… and join me again for another chat!