What are some strategies for staying focused during active listening sessions?

What helps me and my coach trainees is being prepared - How? Through Mindfulness practice on daily basis. Maintaining a journal for our self awareness about our energy in motion, that helps to tune into and observe others emotions too. Being SILENT as LISTENing becomes so much easier when we prime our inner chatter to become silent and be fully present for the other. Setting an intention with water in our hands and charging it to stay open, flexible and go with the flow of the conversation. Staying curious and genuinely interested to know the speaker.

1. Maintain a positive outlook with professionalism. 2. Lend your ears for active listening. 3. Be mindful. 4. Take notes and stay Engaged. 5. Paraphrase key points to reinforce understanding.

Beyond eliminating external distractions, it's important for coaches to know what else can take us out of active listening. That includes things like: - My body is uncomfortable - I'm tired today - I have something going on that's weighing on my emotions - My client just said something that made me think of three related things I keep a couple of crystals at my desk, and will pick one up when I notice that I'm having a hard time focusing. The weight of it in my hand brings my attention back to center, and reminds me that there is nothing else that needs my attention right now more than the human being in front of me.

I understand the significance of eliminating distractions during coaching sessions. As a coach, I know that my coachees need an environment where they can fully engage in the coaching process. It's not just about turning off phones or closing emails; it's about signalling to coachees that their growth and development are top priorities.

Active listening and the use of non-verbal cues, such as summarising and reflecting, help individuals feel heard and validated. This, in turn, lowers stress levels and contributes to overall well-being. In the context of leadership, reduced stress among leaders can lead to better decision-making, enhanced team dynamics, and a healthier work environment.

Non-verbal patterns are part of listening. However, it is likely that most people will listen superficially. The way to do this well is to listen to "what is not said". For instance, one might mention that they are feeling "great", but their facial expressions are downcast. Pointing this out can be far more powerful than simple "yes" and "uh-huh". Conversely, when they say something and light up, a great coach will notice this change and affirm the coachee. "I noticed that you perked up with energy when you were talking about your pets." The reason for this is so as to find a resourceful edge within your coachee to facilitate their outcomes.

I advise coaches to adopt a curious and open-minded approach towards coachees. This fosters an environment where coachees feel safe expressing their thoughts and concerns. Coaches need to convey that their role is to support and facilitate growth, not to judge or impose personal beliefs. This approach empowers coachees to explore their own solutions and perspectives.

The approach to managing emotions is holding space. It means that a nonjudgemental approach must be adopted. How I work with this is to calibrate to my own mental judgements and ask about meta information. For instance, a person may be in a highly complex set of personal relationships. Rather than "messy", I'd reframe that in myself as "complex". Rather than state my position, I'll inquire about the context and process. By sticking to context and process, I often avoid the need to even be judgemental, and stay curious to learn together with the client or coachee.

It's not just about coaches evaluating their own performance but also about inviting coachees to provide insights on the coaching experience. By asking coachees about their feelings and preferences regarding the listening and communication style, coaches can fine-tune their approach. This strengthens the coaching relationship by demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.

Acredito que um líder eficaz em um ambiente de escritório deve possuir habilidades sólidas de comunicação e demonstrar escuta ativa com sua equipe, promovendo assim o engajamento e a cooperação necessários para alcançar resultados positivos.

Practice Mindfulness: Be present in the moment. Avoid letting your mind wander or think about your response while the other person is speaking.

Paraphrase and Summarize: Periodically paraphrase or summarize what the speaker has said. This not only demonstrates your attentiveness but also helps you internalize the information.