Have you ever experienced the power of deep listening? If you have, you will know how powerful it can be. If you haven’t yet, you may want to give it a go and discover it for yourself.
When people ask what coaching is, and what I do, it can sound simplistic to answer “I listen to people, and I ask questions. And somehow, they find their answers.”
If you have ever been truly listened to, I hope you treasure this friend, family member, professional.
Listening as a lifeline
After recently reading this article I realised that these skills are more powerful than what most people think. Now, this is a very extreme example, and by no means I am suggesting that listening in itself is the answer to this sort of crisis. But in some cases, it can help unlock something in the person being listened to. I thought of the empathic people who pick up charity helplines’ phone calls. They are listening.
Listening in coaching
As a coach, I do not work in these vulnerable areas that touch people’s lives, literally. There are many qualified professionals who are there to help.
What struck me in the article is the power of listening itself, in general, and how this article explained, in an extreme way, the essence of coaching. As coaches, we operate in a very different sphere: personal growth, career development, executive leadership, and other pursuits related to change and goal achievements. And deep listening is a key part of what we do.
Be a good listener!
So how can we listen better? Answer: by not talking so much. As the saying goes: we have 1 mouth and 2 ears, let’s use them in this proportion.
You’ll be surprised at what you learn about others, about yourself, and what others learn about themselves, just by listening. And your friends will thank you for it.
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