3 Listening Tips To Help Avoid Losing $10,000
Miscommunication is costly especially when it cost $10,000
Here is the story of my Friend Jack
Jack invested $10,000 in a startup after a miscommunication with his friend, Mike, about the nature of the business.
The startup went bankrupt, and Jack lost his money. This experience made Jack more cautious about investment opportunities and the importance of clear communication.
Click the LINK👈 to read the whole 300-word story
Many people deal with miscommunication.
Miscommunication leads to confusion, animosity, misunderstanding and many more.
Cause of Miscommunication
Miscommunication mostly happens when people interpret a message in their own way, continually changing the meaning of the conversation.
Let's use this scenario as an example.
Imagine a conversation as 2 people tossing a clay ball to each other. As each person touches the ball he/ she adjusts the shape to fit their own unique perception, this can be based on several things such as:
age, ethnicity, race, culture, religion etc. In the end, all this tossing ends up as a mush of miscommunication.
To prevent this here are 3 tips which can help you communicate and listen better.
DON'T Interrupt
When you don't interrupt, you give the speaker the sign of attention, this also helps avoid miscommunication because it helps you listen and gather up the facts.
Instead of interrupting each time, try to listen so you can also hear what the other person has to say.
Like me, some of us want to butt in, at every opportunity to talk.
Instead look for natural pauses, like sighs and deep exhales.
Use this opportunity to ask open-ended questions centred on the speaker’s story, questions that start with who, what, when, why and how.
“How do you see it?”
By saying, "This is how I see it how do you see it?" You allow the other person to be included and express thoughts, remember the conversation is not all about you.
Summarise
The 3rd and final tip is, summarising what the speakers said. This lets the person know you were listening, and most importantly paying attention.
Well.....…….....
What if you weren't doing any?
You can simply ask the speaker to repeat the parts you didn't hear or understand.
Recap
Here’s a short recap:
DON'T Interrupt
When you don't interrupt, you give the speaker the sign of attention, this also helps avoid miscommunication because it helps you listen and gather up the facts.
“How do you see it?”
By saying, "This is how I see it how do you see it?" You allow the other person to be included and express thoughts.
Summarise
Summarising what the speakers said. This lets the person know you were listening, and most importantly paying attention.
Thanks For Reading