listening at work, how to listen, paying attention at workListening in Difficult SituationsdocumentListening in Difficult Situations <p>In the workplace, there are situations that test your listening skills. They include long or boring meetings or presentations and discussions of sensitive issues, perhaps in a charged atmosphere. Here are a few tips to keep in mind during different situations.</p><p> <strong>Boring Meetings</strong> </p> <ul> <li>Take notes to focus your attention.</li> <li>Mentally relate the points being made to your knowledge or experience of the topic.</li> <li>Identify the points that directly affect you.</li> <li>Ask questions it will help you stay focused and might enliven the meeting.</li> </ul> <p> <strong>Lectures</strong> </p> <ul> <li>Sit near the front. It's easier to stay focused when you have a clear, up-close view of the speaker and you aren't distracted by those sitting in front of you.</li> <li>Come prepared. Brush up on what you already know about the subject and relate the lecture points to it.</li> <li>Take notes, but don't let note-taking distract you. Write down the essential points only.</li> <li>Encourage the speaker by looking attentive and alert.</li> </ul> <p> <strong>During Interviews</strong> </p> <ul> <li>Clarify the person's message by repeating what the person has said.</li> <li>Ask open-ended questions that allow you to have a normal conversation, rather than one person doing all the asking and the other doing all the answering.</li> <li>Use body language and nonverbal communication to let the person know you're listening. Mirroring the other person's body language shows you're in agreement.</li> </ul> <p> <strong>Problems and Sensitive Issues</strong> </p> <ul> <li>Use reflective listening when dealing with problems. Rephrase the problem so you can hear it out loud and help the person visualize a solution.</li> <li>Get to know the people you work with and the ways they filter information.</li> <li>Get out from behind your desk. Sit next to or across from the person with nothing in between you.</li> <li>Listen with empathy and without being judgmental.</li> <li>Hear the whole message, not just the part that gets through your mental and emotional filters.</li> <li>Read and respond to a person's nonverbal communication.</li> <li>Listen actively: empathetically and nonjudgmentally.</li> <li>Summarize the discussion and agree on any action to be taken.</li> </ul> <p> <strong>Your Boss</strong> </p> <ul> <li>Avoid letting attitudes interfere with listening to your boss.</li> <li>Be aware of ways you might filter what the boss says.</li> <li>Know your boss's own mental and emotional filters.</li> <li>Use active listening skills: listening with empathy, not prejudging, aiming for accuracy, being aware of nonverbal communication.</li> </ul> <p align="center"><em>Parlay International &copy;2007</em></p> <p align="center">Copyright &copy; 2001 - 2008 COPE INC.<br /> All rights reserved.</p> 1/en/resources/work/listening_in_difficult_situtations.xml