I participated in a webinar today entitled “Active Listening”. This webinar was very interesting and the woman leading the presentation talked about why it is so important for coaches to actively listen to their clients. This is very relevant since listening, of course, is an important competency for coaches to master. The act of listening should be common knowledge to all coaches and an inherent or learned skill which each and every coach uses to the benefit of his or her clients.
However, active listening should be practiced, in my opinion, by everyone. Yes, that’s right, every single person should actively listen to those people who come into his or her life. Why? Because doing so would mean considerably less stress, arguments, divorces, parent-child conflicts, etc.
While a coach / client relationship is different from other relationships, many of the same principles apply for non-coach listeners. Basically, active listening means paying attention, being in the moment, not interrupting, constructively contributing to the conversation, while allowing the other person to speak in a safe and protected environment. Isn’t this what we would want for ourselves? So, why wouldn’t we want to provide this very thing for others?
The Bible itself backs this up when it says, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” [James 1:19-20, NASB]
How very true and profound this is. Imagine how different the world would be if we would just listen.
Keep looking up,
Melodee
“We have two ears and only one tongue in order that we may hear more and speak less.”
Diogenes Laertius
