I will doing a couple of seminars soon for minute secretaries and as listening skills is a big part of minute taking I was wondering if anyone knew any tips/techniques that i can pass on to participants. I have looked around the web for active listening skills but can't seem to find anything suitable. Can anyone help?
jean Conway
2 Responses
Background Conversations
Not sure if you would have heard of this concept but in a nutshell its when you hear something that sparks your interest and you go into a world of your own thinking about it. When you come back to the conversation you`ve missed what has been said since. Trick is to recognise this as soon as it happens to get yourself quickly back in the here and now. The way I illustrate this when I am training is to be talking and without acknowledging the fact hold up a card which has the word “goodbye” written on it. After 30 seconds I ask the delegates what thoughts had been going through their heads (ie the background conversations) and they are all about why I have put up a card saying goodbye and they can`t remember what I have actually been talking about.
Hope this is the sort of thing you are after.
Regards, Nigel
Thanks Nigel
I will try your technique, sounds like what i am looking for.
Thanks for your help