Preface
When I began the process of researching for and writing this book, I remember wondering how I could possibly come up with enough information and activities focused solely on the topic of listening. Once I started to think about it, however, I realized that because there are so many aspects to listening, such as a having a clear process and using varied techniques, I wouldn't have any problem filling these pages. Listening is often a forgotten skill (or is at least one that we all assume we already have). It's one of the most important skills to learn and practice for effective communication, yet how often are we taught in school or in training programs how to really listen and given an opportunity to improve our listening ability? Not very often from what I remember about my own education. My guess is that many of you are in the same situation. Given this, I am delighted to provide you with what I hope is a useful resource to help you teach others how to improve their listening skills and to communicate more effectively. How well we listen has a great impact on how we resolve conflict, lead teams, and build relationships.
This book is organized in a way that allows trainers to easily focus their efforts on the needs of their learners and client organizations, and it provides practical exercises that walk participants through analyzing their own listening behavior, learning a step-by-step process for listening, and practicing specific listening techniques that can be used in a variety of situations. The training modules presented in the book challenge trainees to try strategies they may be unfamiliar with in a context that encourages flexibility while in a supportive learning environment.
A number of original and adapted structured experiences and instruments that were developed specifically for this book are included. Please feel free to adjust them to meet your needs and apply them to other aspects of your learning program, as many can be used for a wide range of training topics, such as supervisory skills, communication skills, and conflict management. Some may already be familiar to you, as there are many effective foundational activities around listening training that work so well, it's hard to imagine a listening skills workshop without them.
Many thanks to Mark Morrow at ASTD Press for the opportunity to write this book and for his support and encouragement throughout. I appreciate Mark's guidance, approachability, and way of putting me at ease. Thank you as well to Carol Field and her team at Aptara for making the editing process so smooth and stress-free, and for their diligence and professionalism in spotting changes that needed to be made.
I also thank Lisa Haneberg, friend, colleague, and ASTD author, for encouraging me to start writing and for her willingness to connect me with ASTD Press. Her resources helped jump-start this publishing journey for me, and for that, I am truly grateful. Thank you to my friends, family, and learning and development colleagues with ASTD Puget Sound and beyond who offered their support and enthusiasm for this endeavor. Special thanks as well to Coral Rice with The Growth Partnership, Inc., who provided me with the flexibility to write this book while balancing other priorities.
Finally, I offer my thanks to my husband, Chris, technical writer and proofreader extraordinaire, whose unwavering love and support with all of my adventures fuels the fire within.