Listening Skills

There are a large number of people in the world who are simply poor listeners - are you one of them?

The key point in listening is to stop talking and to tune into what the other person is saying.

Do you think you're a pretty good listener? Put yourself to the test.

Before opening your mouth to speak, mentally ask yourself, "Is the other person still talking?" You get one strike, if the answer is yes. Next, repeat back to your conversation partner what he or she said. If you can't do it, that's strike number two. Last of all, count the times during the day that you have to ask employees or co-workers to repeat themselves. If it's more than 4, that's strike three and you're out!

It's not only polite to listen when someone else is speaking, you are likely to pick up valuable information and insights when you actively listen to what others are saying.