Shhhhhhh. Don’t tell but sometimes I get REALLY BORED while listening. Halfway through the meeting, my brain starts to drift. I’ve heard it all before. This person is rambling. Topic has zip to do with me. Instead of mentally checking out, great listeners find ways to stay tuned in. Tatiana Kolovou and I share 60 seconds of our favorite tips for listening when bored: How do you stay engaged when your listening-self is DONE?!
Bored??? when does that ever happen? 😆
When someone's speaking, our minds often race with a dozen thoughts—personal experiences, related ideas, possible responses. Summarizing forces us to truly listen, to concentrate intently on the speaker's words so we can repeat them back accurately. In that focused process, the internal noise fades away. Active listening isn't just a skill, it's a powerful tool for connection and understanding. Full episode with Ross Judd: https://lnkd.in/gbKxWtdm #ChocolateAndCoffeeBreak #LetLoveBeTheLoudestVoice #Compassion #HumanConnection #ActiveListening #CommunicationSkills #Empathy #LeadershipDevelopment
Every day this year, I’m sharing one actionable way to get more connected in real life. Day 45: When someone shares something (like "Traffic was brutal"), repeat back their last 3–5 key words in a questioning tone, then add one emotion you pick up from them. Example: " they weren't listening to my idea again in the meeting.." "not listening to your idea… that must feel really frustrating." This format literally is a hack for active listening, and is a great way to start building trust in conversations because people feel you're attuned to them.
Filler words can be a crutch—undermining your message instead of supporting it. "Um" and similar sounds disrupt the flow and become a distraction. Replacing them with silence creates space for ideas to land, giving listeners time to process and engage. Pauses aren't empty. They're powerful. #CommunicationSkills #PublicSpeaking #LeadershipPresence #EffectiveCommunication
Pay attention to the moment you stop listening. The moment you start rehearsing your rebuttal. The moment you decide they’re wrong and you’re done trying to understand. That’s the exact moment empathy is needed most. I wrote about that moment and how to meet it differently in this week’s post. Read the full blog: https://bit.ly/4qKLmw3
In a world of instant reactions, are we truly listening? This video highlights the power of active listening and critical thinking. Understanding different perspectives, and the potential impact of our words, is more crucial than ever. Before reacting, ask: Have I truly heard? Have I considered the consequences? #ActiveListening #CriticalThinking #CommunicationSkills #Empathy
Listening is truly an art 🎨✨ It’s not just about hearing, but truly remembering and connecting. When you listen deeply, you build trust and make others feel seen. Want to level up your listening game? Check out "Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss—learn the power of mirroring and genuine connection. Are you a good listener? Let’s start today! 👂💬 #ActiveListening #CommunicationSkills #SelfGrowth
There is a massive difference between seeing words and actually absorbing them. If active listening is a "full-body engagement" with a speaker, active reading is a full-body engagement with the page. While passive reading is just moving your eyes across lines until you reach the end, active reading is a deliberate interrogation of the text. Please start doing this: read and listen with intention, otherwise it's just a waste of everybody's time.
The quiet speakers always win in the long run. Not because they���re louder. Not because they post more. But because they build depth instead of noise. They focus on the work. They listen more than they talk. They refine instead of perform. And over time, something interesting happens: People remember them. Trust them. Invite them back. While others chase attention, quiet speakers build reputation. It’s slower. Less visible. But it compounds. And in speaking, compounding beats virality every time.
Love these tips!