Description

Listening is perhaps the most challenging of the communication skills -- and sometimes, the most frequently ignored. As a communicator, your effectiveness can be hampered or improved by how poorly or well you listen to others. Active listening encourages clear and open communication between people. And through active listening, you are able to more accurately understand and clarify others’ intentions. Although listening is not an observable behavior, it is one skill that, through practice, can be improved upon and strengthened.

Objectives/Agenda

• Determine barriers to effective listening.

• Describe the four elements of active listening.

• Practice a new way to take notes.

• Define types of questions, and describe their use.

• List five steps for paraphrasing.

• Generate ways to overcome barriers to effective listening.

• Practice active listening skills on your selected listening challenge.

Audience

• All employees.  Class size maximum 24 participants.

Course Length

• One full workday, with two 15-minute breaks and 1 hour for lunch.