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The best gift you can give anyone is to make them feel truly heard.
When we feel listened to, our brain creates dopamine, the same ‘happy chemical’ released by scoffing a cupcake.
If you want your team to feel happy and heard, shut your marvellous mouth, and get your big ears flapping!
Try this Experiment
Next time you’re chatting with a colleague, try our 3 top tips to show you’re really connecting with that they say:
1/ Make a conscious effort not to interrupt them (no matter how excited you are to butt in!)
2/ Physically show you’re listening – nod, make eye contact, smile.
3) Paraphrase and play back what they’re saying. You’ll reinforce the speaker AND their message. We spend over half of our communication time listening, but only retain 25% of what we hear! Repeating it back helps it stick.
Why it works
When you physically signal empathy and connection, you activate the brain’s mirror neurons, building trust and rapport. Boosting the speaker’s confidence fosters more honest, open communication – both of you benefit!
Click here for some great tips on how to tune up your listening skills from sound expert, Julian Treasure.