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Level 1 - distraction When you intentionally "tune in" to someone, you not only hear the facts of what they are saying, you hear their emotion - their hope, their frustration, their sense of what's possible. Tuning-in means that you pay attention to the images, metaphors, and phrases that emerge, as well as the emotion that is evoked within you from the conversation. Skilled coaches listen and then resonate with the person's words and the meaning. This kind of listening enables you to join with the person in the journey instead of standing from a distance, only hearing about their journey. Level 1 listening tunes into someone's conversation in bits and starts. This low-level listening is easily distractible, both by the environment as well as by the inner conversation. The Level 1 is often thinking about what he or she is getting ready to say next...rather than what is already being said. Level 2 listening is a step up in that the listener is intent upon catching all the information that the speaker is communicating. At this level, all the spoken "data" is being collected. Even here, though, the impactful meaning of that data may be missing. Level 3 listening is listening with your heart. Hearing the energy and emotion behind the words. Perceiving what is said and what isn't said. This is where true communication takes place. |