5 Common Reasons You Tune People Out
Understanding these common barriers to effective listening is the first step to becoming a better, more engaging leader
By | SCOTT MCDOWELL | www.fastcompany.com
What transforms a conversation from casual advice into a constructive experience? Listening.
Hearing is a basic human function, but listening is an essential tool that a leader uses from the start and develops as she grows. It involves attentive observation of what we are hearing and then the ability to make a judgment about it.
Observing with attention involves listening with all the senses as well as our own intuition. The judgment aspect of listening implies an acknowledgment of how you are responding in the moment.
A great leader is constantly aware of the barriers that can impede effective listening. According to Warren Reed, author of Positive Listening, barriers to effective listening come in many forms but typically fall into two categories: psychological (like misinterpretations, biases, and attitudes) or physical (including external sounds and distractions like the household pet or a blinking cursor).