THE LISTENING BRIDGE
You are at the center of the world when it comes to being a confident and competent communicator. So, how do you build a “listening bridge” to safely speed travel between yourself and your talk partner, as you move on down on the two-way communicator highway? Recent workshop participants provided these tips…
1. Respect is spelled LISTEN.
2. A little effort is often all it takes to maintain good relationship communication at home and at work.
3. Even though someone doesn’t respond to your idea, it doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. Don’t take the non-response to your idea personally.
4. Listen…Listen…LISTEN. Don’t make a snap judgment or premature decision before you hear the entire thought.
5. R-E-S-P-E-C-T = LISTEN.
6. Confidence and competence matter equally in trusting communication.
7. Don’t let perceptions get in the way of getting things done!
8. Trust and respect flow from the hub of internal communication…down the spokes to others in the company…and out to your external customers.
9. Go to meetings with an open mind and give each person around the Communicator Table time to ask questions or to respond to the new idea. And if they don’t respond, don’t let it hurt your feelings or inhibit future presentations of your ideas. Don’t take it all to heart.
10. Be more understanding of both sides – Empathizer and Instigator – in order to forge an alliance and accommodate needs. Meet in the middle of the Communicator Table to co-develop strategies which will result in improved results that astonish everyone.
11. Treat everybody the way you would like to be treated!
You are at the center of the communication bridge, building rapport, trust, and connections to boost a bummer mood and nurture confidence. Old bridges start to crumble when maintenance isn’t performed on a regular basis. So, too, is the case with communication – you must inspect your interactions with family, friends, and co-workers on a routine basis, just to make certain that your communication is still as strong and dependable as it was on the day you began using the Talk2Me© system.
Dr. Dennis O’Grady is a Dayton family psychologist who teaches confidence-building mood management relationship communication tools. Phone: 937-428-0724.