We have all had to deal with a passive listener. As we spoke about our dreams and how our day went, their eyelids drooped. The more we spoke with this inattentive friend, the clearer it became that they were not listening. Any member of a professional coach association such as a life or business coach should avoid communicating in this manner. Strong communication helps you to get your point across and understand where others are coming from.
Rather than engage in passive communication, begin with active listening. When a substantial level of effort is used by the listener to pay attention to the speaker, comprehension is greatly enhanced. As you work towards generating coaching referrals, the best technique is to learn how to listen. Anyone can give a presentation on business or a seminar on how to live your life, but learning to listen accurately is a skill that few speakers have effectively mastered.Listening is not an easy task, nor is it one based on someone’s intelligence. It involves paying your complete attention to what someone is saying and comprehending the totality of their body language, tone of voice and words. Effective, active listening requires the listener to pay attention to what the other is saying. Looking like a good listener by leaning in to listen to the speaker, being responsive and engaging in the conversation when necessary.
By being an active listener, the life coach can gain sympathy from the speaker and show that they understand what the other is saying. Before you can become a goood speaker, you must first learn how to listen. A writer cannot learn to write without first reading many books. Likewise, a professional life or business coach cannot learn to be a good speaker without first learning to listen to those around them.