Are you listening?

In conversation with those you lead, do you just listen or do you listen for meaning?

Consider these thoughts from the book cited below:

• Listening well is at the core of effectively addressing challenging conversations.
• Active listening comprises six discrete skills: encouraging, clarifying, restating, reflecting, summarizing, and validating.
• Real interests and needs are often communicated nonverbally.  We ignore nonverbal signals at our peril.
• Skilled listeners use reframing skills to provide new insights and to focus on the more positive aspects of a situation.

From:  The Principal as Leader of Challenging Conversations
(Published by: Corwin & the Ontario Principals' Council)