When was the last time you left a conversation with someone and thought or said to yourself, "what a great conversation"?
A lot of self-help books and guides will tell you that active listening involves making a lot of affirmations on what you just heard, however in practice this makes you sound like you're a machine.
This writer and radio host, Celeste Headlee had amazing insight into how we can have great conversation, and it makes sense that she would given the roles she plays.
Key take aways:
1. Don't multi-task. Be present in the conversation.
2. Don't pontificate. It's a two-way conversation, not a speech.
3. Use open-ended questions. 5 Ws.
4. Go with the flow. That cool story/idea you just thought of can wait, get mentally back to the conversation.
5. If you don't know, say that you don't know. "Talk should not be cheap."
6. Don't equate your experience with theirs. "All experiences are individual."
7. Try not to repeat yourself. Rephrasing the same point over and over again is boring and uninteresting.
8. People really don't care if it was a Monday or a Wednesday, just get to the point of the story.
9. Listen. "If your mouth is open, you're not learning." Buddha
10. Everyone has some amazing thing about them, and be prepared to be amazed.
If you use just one of these tips, your conversations will be better already.
As always, if you or someone you know might benefit from a conversation, send them to Virtual Visitors to request a visitor.
Loneliness has affected people as a result of the covid lockdowns, however many people have been living lonely for quite a while. The good news is that a simple conversation can really make a big impact in someone's life. It can be hard to pick up the phone to call out for help, but making yourself available to receive the calls is the next best thing.
Best in Health,