Managing Stress for Success

Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers Explains A Style Of Questioning
That Doesn’t Sound Like Questioning At All

During a workplace dispute, where negotiations have broken down, you can often strengthen your position through a knowledge of conversational theory, which reveals the incredible inefficiency of everyday dialogue.

Among other things, your study will separate-out the many different forms of questioning and listening, and one of these - Active Listening - has been found highly effective in the handling of difficult people who are not wanting to communicate.

A Blend Of Factual Comprehension And Emotional Accord

Active Listening is a diplomatic kind of response, where you can express empathy with the other person's view without having to agree with it. This often means 'playing back' their statements in a summarised form, to show that you have given them proper attention, or interpreting the emotional charge that goes with them ('I can see that you would feel frustrated at these times ...').

The skills of Active Listening are unconsciously practised by any parent of difficult teenagers. The overcoming of a sulky silence takes a very similar routine of sympathetic promptings - and for the same purpose. The parent is having to encourage the sharing of an important confidence, perhaps with serious implications, while not alienating the child and driving it further into secrecy, perhaps further into trouble.

Active Listening - Summary

• A diplomatic response, showing empathy, can re-start dialogue
• These methods of repeating and interpreting can be formally taught
• There are clear parallels with talking to difficult teenage kids

Another key insight from Carole Spiers, International Leading Authority on Corporate Stress,
Motivational Speaker and BBC Broadcaster.