Earn Your New Reputation as a Great Listener

• 00:04 Congratulations.
• 00:05 If you've made it this far,
• 00:07 it means you actually want to improve your listening skills.
• 00:10 The good thing about listening skills is so
• 00:13 much of it is simply about the desire, a lot of things in life aren't like that.
• 00:19 I can desire to be an Olympic downhill skier, not going to happen.
• 00:24 I can desire to dunk a basketball, not going to happen.
• 00:29 But just desiring, just wanting to be a good listener is a huge part
• 00:33 of what will make anyone successful.
• 00:36 Anyone can be a good listener.
• 00:40 And I've hope I've given you some tools and you actually perhaps,
• 00:44 took a few notes as we went through this course together, but if you didn't,
• 00:48 here's one last chance to take notes.
• 00:52 Eliminate all distractions when you're listening to someone,
• 00:55 get rid of the cell phones, computers, noise, music, just listen.
• 01:00 Clear your mind of what all the other distractions are buzzing in and
• 01:04 out of your brain, and just listen to the person.
• 01:09 Try to have open body language, really look at them.
• 01:12 Lean forward, not sort of sit back, or sloppy like you're falling asleep.
• 01:18 And don't interrupt, don't try to show them how smart you are,
• 01:21 just listen to them.
• 01:22 If you're really not certain what they said or you miss something, it's okay to
• 01:27 say, I apologize, could you just repeat that last thing, I didn't quite catch it?
• 01:32 It's also okay and good to show some empathy, let them realize you know what
• 01:36 they're talking about must have been stressful, or difficult, or fascinating.
• 01:42 And then finally, when they have finished a point, when there's a pause and
• 01:46 you're not interrupting, it's okay to ask questions.
• 01:50 It's okay to ask questions when you're listening to someone.
• 01:55 Take notes, but don't try to transcribe everything.
• 01:59 And when you're looking at notes at the end, try to summarize it.
• 02:02 And say, hey, if I'm getting this right, what you really want me to do is.
• 02:07 Summarize at the end of the briefing, the talk of the conversation.
• 02:12 Give the person a chance to correct you,
• 02:15 or also to just make sure you really got it.
• 02:18 Finally, that little extra special something to be used with clients,
• 02:24 bosses, and not an every single communication, but for
• 02:28 important ones, send them an actual email summarizing all
• 02:33 the important points you heard and what you think they want you to do.
• 02:39 Do those things consistently, and your listening skills
• 02:44 will be one of your best assets in your whole toolkit of soft
• 02:49 skills that will help propel your entire career upwards.
• 02:54 I'm T.J. Walker, thanks so much for listening to me.

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