YOU ARE WHAT YOU LISTEN TO! AN ALERT ON THE THREE LEVELS OF ACTIVE LISTENING.

Who does not want to improve their communication?

Recently, I have been very busy in this communication area and I always emphasize that to communicate well, we need to evaluate first how we listen. Are you listening – in fact – what do they really want to tell you? How to make this assessment quickly and consistently?

In this article, I address the three levels of active listening from a coaching perspective, and I believe that by following these suggestions you will be able to take an important step in aligning who you are and what you listen to – because, after all, we are what we listen to and from there, what we re-transmit to the world. Have you ever thought about it?

So, let’s talk a little more about it here:

1. When we hear something, we must first answer the following question: What does this have to do with me? Or better yet … How does this (just being said to me) affect me positively or negatively? Here you must put yourself first and mentally, reflect on yourself (maybe through a practical “self-talk”, as a suggestion) before issuing any other reply.
2. On a second level of active listening, you should do a practical exercise in emotional intelligence (empathy), putting yourself in the place of the speaker … wondering what it must be like to be in the place of that person who is speaking? This positioning empathetic exercise addresses the field of cognitive empathy and should be considered as a fundamental step in the process of active listening for a more assertive response.
3. And of course, it is worth remembering here that where we put our focus, our energy flows. So, everything we think, listen, speak, reflects directly in our emotional state. So here, the third step we must observe in relation to active listening is to ask ourselves: What will this sensation, this feeling I am having right now have to do with my interlocutor (client, colleague, partner, or even a boss or professional subordinate)?

These three levels of connection are fundamental in a conscious exercise of active listening and consequent assertive response, whether in the corporate or personal environments.

Now – do you want to take the next step?

If you are interested in developing this subject in an individual or group coaching or mentoring process with me, explore the services I offer, by visiting our website.

The choice? Always yours!

Now, if you want a more dynamic look at this topic, take the next step towards your growing and sustainable success, and sign up now for our November online and interactive Coaching and Assertive Communication course, offering a special rate (limited time) as an end-of-the-year gift for you!

This is a free translation from its original version and it was originally published at Pulse/LinkedIn.  Author Fernanda Alem is a lawyer, an international consultant licensed by DC Bar in the USA, a lecturer (face-to-face and online), a mentor, a multi-cultural leader and a Leadership Coach & Mental Skills Coach licensed by ICI / ICF – Integrated Coaching and by Mental Training, Inc., in the USA. She facilitates online courses and shares a free MASTERCLASS, with English subtitles to those who visit her website, and offers services in coaching and mentoring, individually or in a group. Fernanda also has an YT bilingual channel where she manages national and international series, and receive guests (leaders) for a semester’s program of online mentoring, also in this YT platform. On social media, she contributes with daily content via Tweeter and Instagram @BrainUCoaching, in addition to her fanpage on Facebook and corporate page on LinkedIn.