Category: Listening Coach
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BE UNIQUE – LISTEN
One of our very able leaders recently was made the head of a large, important, and difficult to administer public institution. After a short time he realized he was not happy with the way things were going. His approach to the problem was a bit unusual. For three months he stopped reading newspapers and listening…
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FISHING FOR CUSTOMERS…..BY LISTENING
Leigh Perkins, former CEO of Orvis Co., a sporting goods mail order company, listened his way to success. Early in his career, as a sales professional, Perkins learned the key to good salesmanship isn’t demonstrating the virtues of a product, but demonstrating the virtues of a product the customer needs. “You have to find out…
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KNOW WHEN TO STOP SPEAKING
A man attended a meeting where the guest lecturer was extremely long-winded. When the listener could stand it no longer, he got up and slipped out a side door. In the corridor he met a friend who asked, “Has he finished yet?” “Yes,” the man replied, “he’s been through for a long time, but he’s…
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THE COSTS OF NOT LISTENING ARE MOUNTING UP!
THE COSTS ARE MOUNTING UP! The following real example submitted by a listening leader, who wants to go anonymous, shows what happens when listening breakdowns occur. “I am a part of a sales team for a retail store in a large mall. For reasons of confidentiality, I will not mention which one. Over the past…
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FIGHTING THE INNER ASSESSMENT
Two competitive U.S. corporations were working on a joint project. The first step was to build a team composed of engineers from both companies. They were all very committed. The project was going to be profitable for both companies ($650 million over 2 years), and yet nothing was moving forward. It seemed that nothing could…
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THE POWER OF DEEP LISTENING
The term ‘active listening’ is a frequently used term that means a person is a great listener. But the reality is that a person could be faking it, engaging in surface listening and send off the impression that they are ‘actively listening’. If you are one of those who uses ‘active listening’, I invite you…
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VOICE TONE – IT’S YOUR CHOICE
How is your tone of voice? Researchers claim that up to 40% of your verbal communication is made through tone of voice. Sometimes, it’s even more than that. The 4 elements of voice tone (pitch, speed, volume and emphasis) combine to form an important part of the meaning of your messages. To underscore the importance,…
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HOW TO MEASURE YOUR LISTENING
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” This is one of the most important business quotes from Dr. Peter Drucker, Father of Modern Management. Dr. Drucker has left us with this sage advice that we can use in any area of life – – – especially with your listening. Too many times,…
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LEAD LIKE A THERMOSTAT
Leaders don’t just take the temperature of their team or their organization, they control it. A thermometer takes the temperature; a thermostat regulates it. So goes the life of an effective leader, otherwise known as….the thermostat. To create change, you have to control the temperature. There are 2 primary tasks: RAISE THE HEAT: So people…
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FACE CONFLICT HEAD ON – PUT THE BUBBLES ON THE TABLE
Conflict between individuals is an unavoidable part of working life. However, the way disputes are managed will determine whether there is positive resolution or damaging fallout for both employees and the organization. Studies reveal that over 65% of performance problems result from strained relationships between employees. There are a few common strategies that people typically…