© Shutterstock.com (x4)conversation is a meeting of two unique
minds, and a strong leader understands
that every person has something of
value to share. If we’re doing things
right, we’re constantly surrounded by people
who have different backgrounds, experiences and
approaches than we do. That means there’s a lot to
learn if we take the time to listen.
The catch? Only you have the ability to make
your daily interactions more meaningful. Here
are seven ways to add more meaning to your
conversations, starting today:
It’s easy to see when someone is only excited
about hearing his own voice, and it makes you doubt
whether he’s listening to anyone else’s thoughts.
Be intentional about pausing and listening before
you speak. If you have something valuable to say,
five minutes of listening won’t change that. What
the other person says may change your perspective
or shift you to offer a different solution than you
originally would have, meaning listening can make
your chatter more valuable too.
You can talk all day about how awesome you are,
but a person who takes the time to ask questions of
others is quickly respected. One of the best ways to
add value to a conversation is to express a genuine
interest in what the other person is saying. Asking
questions can reflect back what you’ve heard and
signal interest.People feel safe and appreciated when they know
you’ll respect their time. Even the most important
conversations can make a bigger impact when
they’re to the point. One good way to check your
tendency to inadvertently extend conversations
is to monitor your sentences for long pauses or filler
words like “uh.”
Communicate clearly and
guide the conversation around
the details you need to help
each other, or move forward.
The moment you’ll never want
to cut out is the one you use to
encourage or add value.Give your conversations the spark they need
1020152505u by John Hall / © 2019, Mansueto Ventures, LLC.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
PAGE DESIGN BY OLIVE CHUDon’t get too wrapped up in your^
next thought.(^) Ask good questions that show
you’re engaged.
Don’t waste people’s time.
Communication
2019 SEPTEMBER 4, 5
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