The Message Makeover Podcast: How Better Listening and Awareness Will Improve Your Communication

This post was written by Dan Cooney, Director of Coaching and Senior Facilitator at The Latimer Group.

Can you be a good communicator without being a good listener? The answer is an emphatic NO. In this episode, The Latimer Group’s Dean Brenner, Amy Fenollosa and Dan Cooney talk about why improving your listening skills and tuning in to your audience and situation will vastly improve your results as a communicator.

Hearing is automatic. You don’t have to be paying attention at 3 AM to hear the baby cry, but to listen to your colleagues at your 3 PM meeting is definitely a choice. You have to respect the situation and decide to “show up” and listen. Many of us have a plan for what we are going to say at that 3 pm meeting but not many of us have a plan for listening. “We all need to listen better” is a business cliché, but as our distractions dramatically multiply, our listening skills have never been more important to the persuasive communicator. Enjoy the podcast!

Listen below, and/or subscribe to us on Spotify or Soundcloud.

At The Latimer Group, our individual Coaching services are highly customized and designed to help you achieve your specific goals. Typical engagements focus on developing skill sets in Leadership Communications, Public Speaking, and Executive-Level Business Presentations. To learn more, e-mail us at info@TheLatimerGroup.com

Comments

16 responses to “The Message Makeover Podcast: How Better Listening and Awareness Will Improve Your Communication”

  1. Bill Piper says:

    My main take away is to stay aware of changes in communication delivery with your coworkers and team. I like the application of the word “AGILITY” in the context of communication. You have to be continuous in this awareness to be suscessful fundamentally in communication.

  2. Carol Johnson says:

    My main take away that I thought was extremely important was to take a few minutes to yourself away from emails, text etc. prior to a meeting or a conversation so you can focus on what is at hand. Be there physically and mentally.

  3. Dean Brenner says:

    Yes! Thanks Carol. Happy new year!

  4. Dean Brenner says:

    Glad you liked it Bill! Have a great day.

  5. Susan Christoforatos says:

    Being prepared will help to give you confidence and put you at ease when presenting. Be aware of your audience, watch their body language, and be willing to make adjustments and switch things up to keep your audience engaged.

  6. Tareq Saasaa says:

    My take a way to improve my communication skills:
    A- Bring the best from everybody around the table.
    B- Not only how well you listening, but what are you listening for.

  7. Kathy Birchfield says:

    My main takeaway was being organized and prepared for the meeting will give you the confidence to communicate effectively.

  8. Susan Christoforatos says:

    I agree, being organized is key

  9. Susan Christoforatos says:

    Having a few moments to yourself allows you to get your thoughts together before presenting.

  10. Dean Brenner says:

    Excellent takeaway! Thanks for listening.

  11. Dean Brenner says:

    Organization leads to so many other good outcomes. Thanks for reading.

  12. Dean Brenner says:

    Totally agree! A quiet mind is almost always a good thing.

  13. Bob Hedrick says:

    My take away is to take a few minutes to yourself think about the meeting and to listen to the responses and to the body language.

  14. Dean Brenner says:

    Thanks Bob. Good take aways!

  15. Nikki Carter says:

    My takeaway is to be a more engaged listener.

  16. Dean Brenner says:

    Good takeaway!

Dean Brenner

A book about change

The Latimer Group’s CEO Dean Brenner is a noted keynote speaker and author on the subject of persuasive communication. He has written three books, including Persuaded, in which he details how communication can transform organizations into highly effective, creative, transparent environments that succeed at every level.