Knock knock...whose there?

Over the years, I have interacted with umpteen number of people and have trained associates on communication and soft skills. One of the most important aspects that we all tend to miss out on is the Art of Listening. How i wish these aspects were inculcated at an earlier stage when one is in high school or college.. To be able to listen and respond appropriately is truly an art. One needs to have an open mind and a lot of patience to be a good listener.

On being a good listener,you are not only able to be more involved in the conversation, but also get a better understanding of what is being said. So how do you ensure that you become a good listener...I once read this piece from a book called 'Secrets of face to face commmunication'by Brender and Tracz and they said..all you need to do to be a good listener is to...listen with HEART..

Very simply put across..It meant...

H - Hush - Keep quiet when someone is talking.
E - Empathize - Understand and feel the persons emotion
A - Ask questions - Clarify what you have heard
R - Reflect - Ponder on what is being said and respond appropriately
T - Tone - Finally mind the tone in which you talk

Thats all it takes to be a good listener...So..the next time you are in a conversation, Listen more and talk less.....Guess that was why we were born with two ears and one mouth!
Happy Listening...!