Monday, January 17, 2011

The value of reflective listening

Early in our marriage Janine and I took a few marriage classes and seminars. We're were exposed to a concept called called "Reflective Listening." The idea is after one person says something, the listener tries to repeat back in their own words the main point(s) of the first person.

This helps in several ways. Maybe the most important is the listener isn't thinking of their great ideas, but really trying to take in what the speaker is saying. Another way reflective listening helps is the speaker is reassured that the listener got the message.

This quote captures the value of reflective listening:

"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
- George Bernard Shaw

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