A Guide to Powerful Listening | TwoLine Studios
How do you clarify complex ideas?
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What is the best way for leaders to bring clarity into meetings? The first step is listening. The second is to interrupt when you need to be asking good short questions.
At TwoLine Studios we use graphic recording so participants can SEE that they are being heard. We use it as a primary tool for clarifying complex ideas and questions in meetings, workshops, and conferences. But, what if graphic recording isn’t a part of your team’s meeting? How will you ensure that your team is listening to the content being discussed?
“Most of us don’t listen with the goal to understand. We listen with the intent to reply.”
– Steven Covey
Teaser alert, we have a good exercise to practice good listening skills but first, let’s talk about why good listening skills help other people on your team.
When you are carefully listening to someone, you are helping them with the quality of their thinking. By listening and asking questions open-ended short questions, you can help to see a problem from a different perspective that could reveal the solution.
Oscar Trimboli breaks this quandary down into simple steps to ensure that understanding ideas and clarifying professionally are part of all business meetings.
In an article titled, “How to Elegantly, Professionally, and Skillfully Interrupt a Conversation” Trimboli writes, “Interruptions are helpful when they clarify common understanding. The speaker will forgive and embrace an interruption when the intention is to understand the topic and its circumstances.” He continues to state, “Workplace listening is practical, pragmatic, and professional.”
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He offers a few ways to gracefully interrupt a speaker, to help clarify the misunderstood, re-iterate an important part of the conversation, or summarize the key elements of their point.
Be Curious
To understand new ideas and concepts, embrace curiosity to lead your listening and questioning. If your understanding of the content is limited, be intentional about the question you ask before interrupting.
Shared Purpose
Asking questions to remain consistent with the shared purpose of a meeting is important to clarify or move the conversation forward to reach the shared goals of a meeting.
Perspective
Summarizing themes and perspectives that are shared in a meeting when interrupting elevates your question from a specific point of view to a general knowledgable insight.
Click below to learn more about understanding big ideas.
Listening is the number one skill you can develop.
Buddha says, “If your mouth is open, you are not listening.”
One way to create strong connections in your team is to be interested in other people.
Here is a group ice breaker exercise you can use with your team before an innovation session during a company retreat. Radio host, Celeste Headlee, uses this exercise to improve listening skills and increase presence and awareness.
Divide the team into groups of 3 or 5 and have them stand in a circle.
Go around the circle and invite each team member to share one thing about themselves.
Listen.
The next person must start their sentence with the last word someone used.
Ask the group, “What was a big ah-ha for you from this exercise?” “What is your key takeaway?”
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Here’s an Example:
Person 1: “I just finished a 2-day writing workshop in the Catskills.”
Person 2: “Catskills is the name of the mountain range 60 minutes from my home.”
Person 3: “Homecoming was my favorite dance in high school. I went to 6 dances in 4 years.”
Person 4: “Years fly by so quickly, I can not believe I’ve traveled around the sun 46 times.”
Person 5: “Times UP! I’m a facilitator and love to keep things moving!”
While it doesn’t make for the smoothest conversation, it does get you in the habit of tuning back in as you are waiting. It helps you listen at the moment to understand not listen to respond. This exercise also helps team building!
When you are deeply listening, you are showing that you are interested in other people. Listen to what is being said at the moment. If you need clarity, ask people gracefully and help them see a different perspective. They will appreciate not only that you are listening, but you are listening to understand.
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Two Line Studios has been helping brands communicate virtually for years. Our facilitator-led sessions implement a Clarity Through Creativity®™ approach using visuals, storytelling, and creative inspiration — even when getting together in person is not possible. Subscribe to our newsletter below for information to untangle complex challenges.