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When you enter a room, a social situation, or a business meeting, be mindful of cues; read between the lines to better understand people and events. What do these things tell you?
Susan C.Young
How do you know when to advance the conversation or when there's something still unresolved? When you are situationally aware, you watch the body language and notice the cues that are given to you. Listening and observing are being mindful in the best sense of the word.
Susan C.Young
Being “appropriate” means being suitable, fitting, relevant, or proper in a situation. What may be appropriate in one circumstance can be terribly inappropriate in another. How does one discern? Sometimes it is simply a matter of maturity and experience.
Susan C.Young
Contextual awareness represents a continuum of behaviors, which illustrates how and why groups of people unite or divide among cultures.
Susan C.Young
When you have orientational awareness, your perceptions and impressions are based on location and proximity. Orientation may imply hierarchy, position, and prestige, or be the result of habits, traditions, and perceptions.
Susan C.Young
In America, when a man walks in front of a woman it may imply that they are not equals and he is exerting dominance over her, or being arrogant and rude. In a different culture, however, it may be presumed that he is someone worthy of profound respect and is protecting her by going first.
Susan C.Young
On a recent business trip, I reunited with a friend I had not seen in twenty years. After having a lovely lunch meeting, we came out of the restaurant to walk towards the parking lot. He automatically moved me to the inside of the sidewalk as he walked along the curbside. His orientational awareness illustrated a chivalrous gesture of protection and respect which impressed me greatly.
Susan C.Young
Our cultural lens is so much a part of us that we are not even aware of how obvious it is to others. Like the nose on your face, you may forget that it is there, but everyone else sees it. I can’t look at you and not see your nose.
Susan C.Young
Presenting “Mix, Mingle & Glow” in a social context is a lovely way to describe how you can make a great first impression by taking the initiative to help other people shine. Think of the times when you have attended an event where there were a lot of people.
Susan C.Young
ASK YOURSELF: Do you remember a gracious hostess, an engaging guest, or someone who worked the room like a honey bee in a flower garden? They would glide from one person to the next, spreading good will and cheer, being the glue that brought everyone together with ease.
Susan C.Young
By your practice of active listening, everyone involved benefits because you . . .•tare more engaged and engaging;•tdemonstrate that you are interested in others and what they have to say;•tmake others feel important, respected, understood, and appreciated; •timprove your memory and retention;•taffirm to others that you are an authentic, caring, and compassionate person;make a great first and last impression
Susan C.Young
If the skill of participatory listening came effortlessly and easy for everyone, there would not be so many misunderstandings, communication breakdowns, irritations, and frustrations.
Susan C.Young
Active listening is key to all healthy and effective communication, however, it doesn't necessarily come easily.
Susan C.Young
Through the years, I have heard that the average person speaks at about 150-160 words per minute, but can listen at a rate of about 1,000 words per minute. What is going on during all that extra mind time? •tOur minds are racing ahead and preparing for the next thing we are going to say.•tWe are preoccupied with other thoughts, priorities, and distractions.•tOur subconscious filters are thumbing through our database of memories, judgments, experiences, perspectives, and opinions to frame how we are going to interpret what we think someone is saying.
Susan C.Young
While active listening is crucial for optimal communication, we are faced with a dilemma which can perplex even the sincerest and engaged of individuals.
Susan C.Young
You can have the perfect message, but it may fall on deaf ears when the listener is not prepared or open to listening.These listening "planes" were first introduced by the American composer Aaron Copland (1900-1990) as they pertain to music . . . 1.tThe Sensual Plane: You’re aware of the music, but not engaged enough to have an opinion or judge it.2.tThe Expressive Plane: You become more engaged by paying attention, finding meaning beyond the music, and noticing how it makes you feel.3.tThe Musical Plane: You listen to the music with complete presence, noticing the musical elements of melody, harmony, pitch, tempo, rhythm, and form.
Susan C.Young
When you become an actively engaged listener, you will develop the mindful awareness that active listening involves multiple layers and distinct levels.
Susan C.Young
To make matters even more complicated, research has shown that we remember only 25-50 percent of what we hear. This inclination not only compromises our connection with another person, but we can fail to retain vital information. All this evidence demonstrates that it is imperative that we intentionally pay closer attention and strive to become an in-depth listener.
Susan C.Young
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be a natural communicator and know exactly what, when, why, and how to speak so that your message is conveyed and received as you intend?
Susan C.Young
Communicating negatively (gossiping, bragging, bullying, and criticizing) can be disastrous to your reputation, cause you to lose the respect of others, and leave a terrible impression. Why leave this essential expertise up to chance when it can make or break the success of your relations?
Susan C.Young
The Art of Communication shares insights to help you communicate with a higher awareness and focused intention and meet people on their level to increase clarity and understanding.
Susan C.Young
When you begin conversations with confidence and listen attentively, you will become more flexible and adaptable in most any situation.
Susan C.Young
Mindfulness means paying attention to what is happening at this very moment and being keenly aware of your surroundings and the people in it.
Susan C.Young
Whether your awareness is focused on your own emotions and perceptions or directed toward the preferences, needs, and feelings of others, being mindful (aware and attentive) will enable you to respond more appropriately.
Susan C.Young
This deliberate focus and sensitivity allow you to "put yourself in another person’s shoes and walk around a while" to better understand where they are coming from and what they are all about.
Susan C.Young
Mindfulness is a quiet strength and deeply rooted value which many other cultures understand and often practice better than we do. It can be puzzling to people from other countries as to why Americans are so task-driven and action-oriented.
Susan C.Young
Developing this ability instills a sixth sense for navigating human relationships with dignity, grace, and discretion, thus making an intentional and thoughtful first impression.
Susan C.Young
As Americans, we typically move full steam ahead without much regard to mindfulness or thoughtful reflection, often to one’s own detriment. Yet it is that same propensity for bold action which makes fulfilling the "American Dream" possible—where an immigrant can come to our country with nothing and achieve extraordinary things.
Susan C.Young
Although it may serve you well, any strength or skill which is overused can become a limitation when it forces you to constantly be moving and looking for the next best thing. Distractions, interruptions, and incessantly chasing after the next golden ring can become the norm.
Susan C.Young
Your encounters will be more successful when you slow down, pay attention, and become more mindfully aware of the world around you. Heightening your awareness in your social, situational, contextual, orientational, and cultural scenarios will improve your agility as you adapt to new social settings.
Susan C.Young
Sociologically speaking, as Americans we often lack social, cultural, and mindful awareness. We hear the stories of how our arrogance has been known to offend, confuse, and alienate people from other cultures. Arrogance is the thief of mindfulness and it happens from both directions.
Susan C.Young
To gain greater understanding, clarity, and awareness, you must become aware of your values and beliefs. Think of a triangle or an iceberg. Below the waterline, your beliefs and your values build the foundation for your behavior.
Susan C.Young
We will judge others based on their behaviors with little to no understanding or regard for their beliefs or values—standards we may not know, nor typically see. When we do this, things can be taken completely out of context because we are assessing their behavior against our expectations, which are produced from our own personal value system.
Susan C.Young
Navigating relationships within our own culture can be challenging enough. When diverse cultures are involved, however, a huge potential for misunderstanding, disrespect, miscommunication, and intolerance is present.
Susan C.Young
It is crucial to understand that there are myriad interpretations of behavior. When you subscribe only to yours, you may begin to think that everyone else is wrong and thus limit your flexibility and possibility. Developing cultural awareness will make your diverse relationships easier and more productive.
Susan C.Young
Prepare yourself well by learning how to be more mindful in each interaction. The effort you put forth to gain insight will empower you to make a better impression on others, while enriching your opportunities to build enlightened, trusted relationships.
Susan C.Young
Conversation starters. Icebreakers. Openers. However you choose to label them, that moment when the first words come out of your mouth can make or break the outcome of your entire conversation. Been there, done that, right?
Susan C.Young
Your first words will not only shape your first impression, they can create amazing connections, lead you to your dream job, or help you discover a new best friend—or accomplish exactly the opposite.
Susan C.Young
Your first words will outlive your conversations and impact how you are remembered, liked, or regarded. Wouldn’t you enjoy opening conversations with ease and mutual recognition? The challenging part is that it can be . . . awkward!
Susan C.Young
Meeting someone for the first time has significance, but for some people, the awkwardness can be so great that they avoid a conversation altogether. The person who may be shy, introverted, or afraid of sounding stupid may just choose to remain silent rather than take the risk of engaging in embarrassing dialogue.
Susan C.Young
The space between meeting a stranger and making a new friend can be a short distance or a gaping chasm. By understanding how to open a conversation well, you will be better able to bridge the gaps and build rapport more successfully.
Susan C.Young
You can certainly take the easy road and use the predictable and boring defaults like:•tHow are you doing?•tHow about this weather?•tWhat do you do for a living?•tHi. My name is _________. What’s yours?•tBlah, blah, blah, blah . . .Break out of the defaults you have been using for years. Shake it up. Make it fun. Make it memorable. Dive in with more engagement and interaction. Taking the initiative to be more creative will help you build a bridge to close the gap.
Susan C.Young
How do you minimize the awkwardness in that moment? What are some of the conversations starters you've used to open, encourage, and support enjoyable and beneficial conversations?
Susan C.Young
10 Conversation Bridge Builders1.tSimply say hello with a smile.2.tAsk them what they love about their work.3.tAsk natural questions out of genuine curiosity. 4.tGet a person talking about what’s important to them.5.tCompliment something positive which you’ve noticed.6.tEngage them with questions which are easy to answer. 7.tIntroduce them to someone whom you think they’ll enjoy meeting.8.tAsk them if they have any trips or vacations planned.9.tLook for something you may have in common so that the conversation begins with shared interests.10.tThink of questions that begin with how, what, when, why and where.
Susan C.Young
Add a fresh twist of creativity to make a stellar impression which people won’t soon forget. Granted, your venue will determine how far you can stretch and how creative you can be. Making small tweaks to your conversation starters can make a memorable impact!
Susan C.Young
14 Awesome Conversation Starters1.tWhat do you do for fun? Hobbies, recreation . . . 2.tWhat are your super powers? Gifts, talents, strengths.3.tGood morning! It’s great to see you! 4.tWhat is your story? Tell me about yourself.5.tWhat brought you to __________?6.tDo you have anything special happening in your life (or your business)?7.tWhat’s the best thing that’s happened this week?8.tAre you living your life purpose or still searching for it?9.tWhat gives you passion and makes you happy to be alive?10.tDo you have any pets?11.tHow do you know the host?12.tWhen you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 13.tIf you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?14.tWhat's next on your bucket list?
Susan C.Young
Listening is one thing; however, ACTIVE listening is quite another. The first is a passive act which does not require great involvement, whereas, the latter is a consciously aware and deliberately focused effort to actively participate in the conversation.
Susan C.Young
Think of the communication that takes place in your own life on a continuous basis—at home, at work, with friends, and beyond. When you actively listen to people, you enhance communication.
Susan C.Young
Listening actively confirms for people that you are positively receiving and thoroughly understanding the message they are conveying.
Susan C.Young
Listening is one of the finest ways to demonstrate our love for another human being. How many marriages could be saved, friendships healed, careers made, and opportunities enjoyed if people would simply stop what they are doing and listen deeply to what another person has to say. If practiced by everyone, this principle could be a world-changer!
Susan C.Young
The process of attentive listening makes the other person feel important, valued, and heard. For Nick, listening was, and still is, love. I've never forgotten that precious moment—and the lesson!
Susan C.Young
Think about the people in your life with whom you have the most engaging dialogue—the ones who will listen to you and consider your opinions regardless of the topic. They'll stop whatever they are doing to give you their full attention. They become completely present and hear you.
Susan C.Young
Now let’s look at the flip side. When a diligent and caring person receives your complaint, they have the power to turn a challenge into a triumph. Through active listening, they demonstrate that your satisfaction is their top priority. They not only seek to solve your problem, but they are dedicated to re-earning your trust, your respect, and keeping your business.
Susan C.Young
If you have ever experienced this type of unprofessional treatment, I doubt you would even consider giving them business in the future. Interrupting, ignoring, patronizing, or antagonizing a customer is like pouring gas on a fire and creates a more explosive situation than the original complaint. Still, it continues to happen every day, costing companies millions in lost revenue.
Susan C.Young
Have you ever had a legitimate complaint as a customer which made you angry, upset, or frustrated? How was it “handled?" If you were dealing with an inept, uncaring, or untrained employee, they may have made matters even worse by being rude, defensive, or apathetic. Simple acknowledgment and validation of your complaint is sometimes all that is needed. Without it, you're left frustrated or upset.
Susan C.Young
Active listening is not only a matter of making yourself available to hear someone talk, but it is showing the sender, physically, that you are receiving and understanding their message on all levels.
Susan C.Young
Active listening is the ultimate "Golden Rule" for sensational customer service. Just as the important people in your life will feel more valued and appreciated when you actively listen, so will your customers.
Susan C.Young
Active listening is one of the best services a company can provide.
Susan C.Young
ASK YOURSELF: How can you utilize active listening to provide sensational customer service? How will this help resolve complaints from unhappy customers?•tGive them your full attention and listen without interruption or defensiveness.•tThank them for bringing the issue to your attention.•tTake their concerns seriously and share their sense of urgency to resolve the problem quickly.•tAsk questions and focus on what they are really saying. •tListen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel. •tBeware of making assumptions or rushing to conclusions before you hear their concern fully.•tExplain, guide, educate, assist, and do what’s necessary to help them reach the resolution.•tTreat them with respect and empathy.When you do an amazing job of resolving an unhappy customer’s problem, you may end up impressing them more than if the problem had never occurred. You may have just earned their loyalty . . . forever!
Susan C.Young
This method enabled me to expand my territory and create a strong network of loyal customers for referrals and repeat business. Make active listening a deliberate part of your business plan and success strategy. You will not only grow your business, but also make wonderful friends along the way.
Susan C.Young
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