Mindful Listening

Summarize or paraphrase key points to show understanding and strengthen the connection with the speaker.

Utilize affirmative body language—position toward the speaker, nod, and vocalize agreement.

Hopefully you can see that the issue was simply that they were unprepared.

listeners do not receive the same level of praise, attention, instruction, or credibility as speakers. They should!

Entering a discussion with a pre-existing agenda

• Conversations had under duress, force, or emotional manipulation—for example, one party wants to avoid it, whereas the other wants to force it

• Automatically judging someone’s grammar usage, accent, or mode of expression

Being too emotionally aggravated to be fully present—e.g., overly angry, sad, or scared

Being stressed, rushed, or busy with something els

Being too hungry, tired, grumpy, inebriated, hot, cold, uncomfortable, or ill to pay proper attention

Physical Preparedness, i.e., Are you physically ready to listen?

Are you physically ready to listen