Activate Your Listening Skills

The building blocks to engaging people and developing effective relationships

with David Goldwich

Effective listening is perhaps the most overlooked area of communication - and the most critical. We spend nearly half of our waking hours listening but often we only hear, rather than truly listen. The truth is: active listening skills are a key building block in developing effective relationships at work and at home.

Listening is more than the reception and awareness of sound. Listening is interpreting the sounds we perceive, giving them meaning, and understanding the speaker's intent. It also means listening to what is not being said - listening between the lines. Listening requires thought.

A good listener understands the meaning of the message. An exceptional listener also understands and reflects the feelings behind the message. An exceptional listener is truly engaging and enjoys better relationships, both professionally and personally.

In this interactive workshop, David Goldwich will help you become an exceptional and engaging listener. You will learn how to recognise the barriers to effective listening and how to overcome them, the benefits of effective listening, various listening styles, and techniques to develop active and empathetic listening skills. The emphasis is on role plays and other activities to improve your listening skills quickly.

Remember: We were given two ears but only one mouth. This is because listening is twice as hard as talking.

Understanding the listening process

• How well do you listen? A fun and enlightening quiz
• Distinguishing between hearing and listening
• The problem of perception and meaning
• Characteristics of effective listeners
• The benefits of effective listening
• Barriers to listening - and how to overcome them
• An ancient Chinese secret of effective listening

Different kinds of listening

• The 3 levels of listening
• The 9 types of listener
• Building understanding with active listening
• Engaging others with empathetic listening
• Encouraging the speaker verbally and non-verbally
• The secret of Oprah's success

Improving your listening skills

• How to overcome distractions while listening
• The 10 laws of effective listening
• Looking for the meaning-and feelings-behind the words
• Other techniques for improving your listening skills
• Using listening encounters to develop your listening ability
• Creating your individual action plan for becoming a better listener

About David Goldwich

David Goldwich is a professional speaker and trainer who specialises in communication skills, negotiation skills and personal effectiveness. David practiced law in the United States for over ten years. He has an MBA and has also managed several small businesses.

As a trainer, David applies the '80/20 Rule' to training by identifying the critical tools necessary for the greatest improvement and presenting them in a form that is simple to learn and simple to use. David's ability, sense of humour and wealth of experience enable him to deliver breakthrough changes at all levels. Some of his clients in the region include Siemens, American Express, OCBC Bank, Keppel Corporation, BP, Shell, Petronas and Deutsche Bank. David is the author of the book, Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?: Lessons in Effective Communication.

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