Monday, November 10, 2008

Thought of the Week - 11/10/08

“If there is any great secret of success in life, it lies in the ability to put yourself in the other person’s place and to see things from his point of view – as well as your own.” -- Henry Ford

The point to be made here is that the way in which we listen to others, listen to their thoughts, their feelings and their needs is crucial in creating a workplace community where people feel valued. The more you are seen as someone who is genuinely committed to listening and responding appropriately, the more committed those around you will be to organizational goals and initiatives.

How good are your skills at “active listening”? Are you able to sit silently are truly listen to understand or are you thinking about what you want to say rather than listening to others?

How good are you at demonstrating true empathy, true understanding, even when you do not agree with what the other person is say or feeling?

How effective are you as a communicator?

1 comment:

Jim Rowell said...

I find one of the most powerful ways to communicate is when we live our lifes in such a manner that people invites us to share our thoughts. I find we are all too willing to share our htoughts at the expense of not listening to others. When we truly focus on listening, people have a tendency to eventually invite us to share. What a powerful time to communicate then.