Key to Communication Part 8: Listening
Jul 07, 2022
Key to Communication Part 8: Listening might not seem like it would fit naturally into our series for interviewing and communicating effectively with an audience, but it absolutely is. As stutterers, we may be searching for the right and easy words more than others. We may be so focused on the words and our execution, that we forget to pay attention to our audience. Big Mistake. Today we go over some quick tips for active listening and being on your toes in communication, so you can take advantage of the incredible opportunities in front of you.
Face your Audience
Face your audience and nod your head while you are listening. If you are too concerned about your own speech you can face other directions and it signals that you are not paying attention, when you really are anxious about what to say next.
Stay Present
Being an active listener is really about staying present, but what does that mean? One way to practice staying present is through silence and observation of the noises around you. Silence making you a better communicator? Yes! It helps your get present and listen to the person in front of you.
Ask Questions
If you are finding yourself constantly trying to formulate what to say next, instead come up with go to questions to ask your audience. This is one of the main keys in our series, here. These are the questions to memorize that everyone wants to answer and are critical to communicating effectively.
Don't Interrupt
Interrupting a member of your audience might not feel natural at first, after all, you have a lot to say and deserve to be heard, but as tempting as it might be, resist. Less is more with listening. Really concentrate on what your audience or other person is saying to you without thinking of your response.
We hope that some of these free quick tips help you communicate more effectively. Our series on effective communication from Udemy is under $10 and offers so many quick wins for listening and more. Click here to register.
