As a leader you may spend quite a bit of time listening to team members, colleagues or clients as they navigate through their thoughts and ideas. This can be demanding, especially if the person you’re communicating with is emotional, confused or simply doesn’t get to the point.
In those cases it’s very helpful to hold the mirror up so that they can “see” what preoccupies them.
What could this sound like?
“What I’m hearing is that you feel stuck in your position, you want to advance, and at the same time you don’t really want the responsibility that comes with the newly posted position. Is that right?”
This mirroring technique not only allows your conversation partner to logically piece together their train of thought, it also ensures you are understanding the main points correctly. Clarity is paramount. Where there is clarity there’s momentum and engagement.
And when the leader demonstrates superior listening skills it automatically elevates communication to greater understanding and trust on both sides.
See Article on Best of HR, here.
