From the course: Individual Accountability for Equity and Inclusion

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Listen to understand, not to respond

Listen to understand, not to respond

From the course: Individual Accountability for Equity and Inclusion

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Listen to understand, not to respond

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- Listening to understand, not to respond, what is the difference? When we listen to respond, we are in effect half listening while the other half of our brain is trying to figure out what to say back. But when we listen to understand, we listen fully and actively. We listen without judgment, we listen to seek clarity, and we listen to learn and to empathize. Stephen Covey, author of the bestseller, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," identifies the fifth habit as seek first to understand, then to be understood, also known as listen before you talk. Others call it active listening. Whatever you call it, it is a very different mindset, and here is what it looks like in action. Number one, give the speaker your full attention. Put your phone down, stop looking at your computer, stop multitasking. Take notice of their tone of voice, their body language, and their words. Take all this information together and…

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