Eliminating Listening Distractions
By Tony Stoltzfus
One important way to improve your
listening is to identify and eliminate distractions in your environment with
this coaching tool. You can be great at many other facets of listening, but if
your phone line is full of static or you are constantly interrupted, you’ll still find it very
difficult to listen well. Listening intently is hard work. Often simple changes
like taking a few minutes before a meeting to get centered, purchasing a phone
headset, or turning off your computer monitor while you are coaching can make a
big difference.
Below is a tool designed to help you
identify distractions in your environment that keep you from listening well.
When taking the assessment, score yourself based on your last coaching session
(if you aren’t a coach, think of the
last one-on-one you had.) Circle the statements that apply to you.
Negatives
-1 Your e-mail or IM program is open in front
of you
-1 Your to-do list is sitting out in the open
where you can see and read it.
-5 You do e-mail, IM or work on other projects
while you are coaching
-1 You are sitting at your main work desk
-1 You can hear a noticeable amount of
background noise (others talking, a phone ringing, etc)
-2 Your door is open or the place you are
coaching in has no door
-2 You finished another meeting, project or
deadline within 15 minutes before this appt
-2 You worked on other tasks right up to the
moment the phone was ringing for this call.
-2 There is a fair amount of stress and
conflict in your life, or you are emotionally needy
-1 You are hungry, thirsty or otherwise in a
state of physical discomfort
Total
Positives
+1 Your notes for this client are organized
and easily accessible
+3 You took at least 10 minutes before this
appointment to get centered and review your notes
+2 You've made a serious personal commitment
to be all there while you are coaching
+3 Your desk and screen are clear, or you have
a separate place to coach away from daily work
+1 You have a phone headset
+1 You have a comfortable environment to coach
in (correct temperature, good chair, etc)
+1 You’ve
prayed for this client this week
+3 You don’t
have any calls, walk-ins or interruptions while you coach. Call waiting is
disabled
+2 Your appointments are scheduled at a time
of day when you are alert, and you’re
well rested
+1
Your connection is clear and totally
reliable. You aren’t using a cell phone or
voice chat
Total
Now, add up your total points. If your
score is negative, change your environment. If you are a professional coach or
counselor, the bar should be higher: if your score is less than +7, make some
changes!
Excerpted
from Leadership
Coaching by Tony Stoltzfus.
Tony
is a professional coach and coach trainer who has authored many popular
coaching courses and resources. He coaches ministry leaders in transition
through www.CoachingPastors.com