One day at the office, the receptionist seemed quite agitated and upset – definitely not her normal friendly and helpful self. Since she reported to me, I asked to speak with her in private. Speaking directly, I inquired about what was bothering her. She opened up to me about all the things that were irritating her. I listened, giving her the time and opportunity to get things off her chest. When she had finished, I simply asked her, “How can I help?” She said, “I need to be relieved to go to lunch on time.” Wow, I thought to myself – that seems easy enough. I told her, “I will do my best to make that happen.”
What I realized that day, is that sometimes you just need someone to listen.
Someone to hear you.
Someone to respond and say, “How can I help?”
This employee was very punctual and not being relieved to go to lunch on time became a sore spot for her. Frustration festered and overflowed into her interactions with everyone. That day she needed someone to listen…she needed to be heard…and it made all the difference.
Good listening skills are valuable in both our personal lives and in the workplace.
Being a good listener requires both attention and reflection.
- Attentive listening includes eye contact, posture, facial expressions, and gestures that show a genuine interest in what the person is saying.
- Reflection includes repeating and paraphrasing what you have heard that demonstrate you truly understand what has been said.
In today’s hectic world, being a good listener takes time, patience, and practice – yet, the benefits to our relationships are so worth the effort. Because at the end of the day, we all need someone to listen.