From the course: Effective Listening
Paraphrase what was said
From the course: Effective Listening
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Paraphrase what was said
- The literal definition of paraphrasing means to summarize a message with fewer words. This active listening technique does two things. It tells the speaker that you're listening attentively, and it allows you to check your understanding and focus on the core of the message. If you paraphrase something that's not along the lines of their message, hopefully the speaker will communicate it again and give you a different example. Paraphrasing can sound like this, "So you're saying that..." "So you're upset because..." "Can I take a minute and tell you what I've heard so far?" "Here's what I hear you describe happened to this point..." I sharpened my skills of this active listening behavior when I worked in human resources and did conflict resolution. Often, when our office got involved, two employees were not talking at all and the atmosphere was vitriolic. I would spend time listening to each and paraphrasing to try and understand the situation, their viewpoint, and their overall needs. I specifically remember the long discussions with Michael, a long tenure employee in a complex organization. He was angry, he was frustrated and full of specific examples when we first met. The problem was that his speaking was all over the place. It jumped from old examples, things that others said, specific interactions with his trouble colleague, and his interpretations. Paraphrasing allowed me to give the information back to him and let him identify what his priorities were, what the most important issues were for him, and what he wanted as an end result. Practice your paraphrasing and clarifying lines next time you have a chance to listen. Both will allow you to bring value and focus to your active listening.
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Contents
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Introduction Introduction
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Improve your listening skills57s
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Getting the most out of the course1m 36s
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1. Assessing Your Listening Skills 1. Assessing Your Listening Skills
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Five skills for improved listening3m 4s
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Recall details2m 16s
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Understand the big picture2m 29s
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Evaluate content2m 54s
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Attune to subtle cues3m 19s
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Listen with empathy2m 57s
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When and how to listen5m 27s
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2. Challenges to Listening 2. Challenges to Listening
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Getting distracted by internal noise5m 4s
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Multitasking3m 1s
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Paying attention to delivery3m 45s
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Overwhelming yourself with information2m 33s
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Responding inappropriately5m 3s
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3. Effective Listening Behaviors 3. Effective Listening Behaviors
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Effective listening behaviors1m 3s
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Clarify your role2m 28s
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Use nonverbal cues3m 37s
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Allow silence2m 32s
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Paraphrase what was said1m 53s
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Match emotions2m 37s
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Effective listening in action2m 46s
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Conclusion Conclusion
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Setting listening goals3m 15s
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