Have you ever listened to talk radio and thought the talk show host failed to listen to the caller? The host rattled off an answer that failed to respond to the question. How often does this happen in daily life? 
A few scary pieces of information:
- human beings hear one in seven words
- understanding communication is 55% visual – based on appearance and gestures, 38% auditory – based on tone and volume, and only 7% the words
- human beings must hear something 4 times to begin to assimilate the information
- human beings process in the positive – this means we fail to process the words no or don’t that precede a message and instead focus on the remainder of the message that is the opposite of what the speaker intends be understood
What does this tell us? A few things:
- take time to listen to understand before responding
- choose how you express your message – say what you do want heard
Now consider this: coach training includes listening to understand and succinctly summarizing what was said to ensure clarity and a common understanding. Coaching certification includes learning about word choice and the impact of different words. What does this mean? Coaching is a skill set that helps with listening and with being a great speaker.
