I’ve always put a lot of emphasis on making decisions based on logic and reasoning. People would ask me for advice and I would disregard most emotional factors, or at least value them less than rational ones. But then I realized two things: (1) People don’t want to be told what to do, and (2) People are people with emotions that are valid.
\nAnd last week I learned how to put these two learnings in motion when helping people work through their problems. I attended a workshop about coaching through active listening and powerful questions.
\nActive listening is about consciously listening rather than waiting to speak. The flow of the conversation should be driven by the speaker and should not follow some predetermined agenda. It’s important to develop an understanding with the speaker to develop a cooperative atmosphere. Here are some things to consider when active listening:
\nMake it clear that you’re there to listen. They should be leading the conversation. Don’t make the conversation about you
\nSilence allows the speaker to share extra information. Staying silent also proves to the speaker how devoted you are to listening. It will probably be awkward, but you’ll get over it. Phrases like “go on” can help continue the conversation if the silence is unbearable.
\nClarify what you’re hearing by paraphrasing and acknowledging certain parts of what the speaker is saying. Digging into certain word choices can undercover feelings that they might not be sharing yet. Reflect on what’s been said and confirm suspicions drawn from “reading between the lines”.
\nPowerful questions are ones that provoke more questions. They are open-ended, surface feelings/opinions, and *should not lead the other person to a conclusion”. Here are some things to consider when asking active questions:
\nSimilar to paraphrasing, questions should demonstrate your understanding as well as get the user to reflect on what they said. It’s also a chance to create clarity.
\nQuestions should make the receiver consider their own assumptions. They might have a preconceived idea of what will/should happen, but that might not be the only, or best, choice.
\nOnce you’ve explored the problem space and you’re ready to start a conversation about taking action, questions can help the person consider options to move forward.
\nAlthough these questions are good starting points, powerful questions should be reactions from active listening. My favourite question to ask is If a friend was in your shoes, what advice would you give them? That one really stuck with me from the session.
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