Avoid the Multitasking Trap by Focusing on Listening

• 00:04 The hardest place to listen for
• 00:07 most people in business communications is the teleconference.
• 00:12 The long teleconference, you can't see anyone, they can't see you.
• 00:17 The temptation is to do all their work, perhaps read a good book.
• 00:23 There's so many temptations, and especially if the teleconference is going
• 00:28 up 30,40, 60 minutes an hour, sometimes three hours.
• 00:32 You've got to figure out what's important.
• 00:35 If there is fluff, you can ignore that.
• 00:39 But again my recommendation is, don't try to multitask.
• 00:44 Because, if a boss or a client says something really important two hours and
• 00:49 15 minutes into that teleconference, and you didn't listen carefully,
• 00:54 it can have severe repercussions to your career.
• 00:57 So, we're going to give you more techniques later on in the course.
• 01:01 Taking notes, following up with questions,
• 01:05 sending email memos, summarizing what was said.
• 01:09 But just be aware right now, there are some things that are harder and
• 01:13 easier to listen to than others.
• 01:15 Your boss storms into your office, stands over you and starts talking heatedly.
• 01:20 For most people, It's pretty easy to listen in that situation.
• 01:24 But most business communication isn't going to be that dramatic.
• 01:30 And you've gotta really learn a lot of very specific skills
• 01:35 on how to listen for every single category of talk, speech,
• 01:40 presentation that you experience in the workplace.
• 01:45 Step one, when it comes to good listening skills is, anytime you're listening
• 01:51 to someone speak, present, talk, brief you, share with you a concern.
• 01:56 You have to have an agenda.
• 01:58 And the agenda needs to be 100% listening and
• 02:04 understanding that person.
• 02:07 Everything else in your head has to go away.
• 02:11 I realized we all have problems, we all have other concerns, issues,
• 02:16 things we gotta worry about, the roof is leaking.
• 02:19 But when you're trying to listen to someone, convince them you're
• 02:24 listening and actually listen, you're going to have to free your mind.
• 02:28 What that means is you can't go into this with the idea that you're
• 02:34 going to outsmart them, debate them, show them where they're wrong.
• 02:39 There may be times and you do have to do that.
• 02:43 Believe me, I love doing that, but it doesn't work in most business situations.
• 02:47 It works when you go on talk shows and debate.
• 02:51 And for many years, I was a political talk show host,
• 02:55 and I went on as a guest on every network.
• 02:57 And there, you've got to really wait for your opportunity to boom,
• 03:01 hit your message points ,attack the other person.
• 03:04 That's a great skill if you want your own talk show on Cable News, or on Talk Radio.
• 03:11 But when it comes to most situations in the workplace, it's horrible.
• 03:16 People are going to hate dealing with you.
• 03:18 They're not going to want to be in a meeting with you.
• 03:20 So step one, you have to empty your mind,
• 03:24 really focus on that person, that human being talking to you.
• 03:31 Preferably, when they're in the room with you talking to you.
• 03:34 But even if it's over the phone,
• 03:37 you've got to focus on what they're saying, what is the actual meaning?
• 03:43 What are they trying to convey?
• 03:45 What do they want you to do?
• 03:48 This means you can't be thinking about Hmm,
• 03:51 I wonder what my buddy posted on Facebook?
• 03:54 Am I missing any interesting tweets?
• 03:57 My gosh, I haven't checked my email in three minute.
• 03:59 What if I miss something?
• 04:00 You've got to give the person you're speaking with,
• 04:04 the person who's speaking to you your attention.
• 04:08 Attention isn't just one eye is here, and one eye is here.
• 04:14 It has to be 100%,
• 04:17 if you want to be an effective listener.

Lesson notes are only available for subscribers.