Brain Bites - Let Them Know You're Listening

Send the message that you are listening to understand. The truth is, it’s easy to not listen. We are surrounded by distractions and the list of reasons we don’t listen well is long. So we have to work on listening to make others feel heard—especially at work. By the end of this course, you will be able to describe how to become a better, more active listener through focusing your attention on the speaker and clarifying their message. You will learn to build trust and become more approachable. Brain Bites micro-learning courses are information-rich and convey important topics with an engaging mix of video and animation. With 5-minute video lessons and 30-minute-or-less courses, Brain Bites are the perfect tool to educate today’s busy workforce.

• Describe why it’s easy to not listen and why it’s important to work at being a good, active listener 
• Convey that you are listening using short statements (verbal cues) and body language 
• Seek agreement and understanding using a simple clarifying statement formula 
• Build trust by providing a safe and distraction-free listening environment 
• Use appropriate questions to understand the speaker’s message 
• Focus on the speaker by paying attention to body language
• Express empathy and provide input to help the speaker better understand their situation