Sorry, I wasn’t listening: 5 ways to model better listening skills

I have a confession to make when it comes to listening skills. I’m an interrupter. When I already know what someone is trying to say, or finish saying, or I have a point to make, I just cut right in. I know I shouldn’t do it. I know it’s rude. It drives me crazy when other people do it, so why do I? Most of us aren’t very good listeners. It may not be interrupting for you, but I’m guessing there is some bad habit you bring to the listening side of your communication. I think it’s safe to say

active listening, breaking communication cycles, building relationships, Buildling Relationships, business commuication, Communication skills, communication tips, effective communciation, effective communication, Employee engagement, How to communicate better, listening skills

Three Tips to Prevent Communication Conflicts

The holiday season can bring out the best in people. It can also bring out the worst. Families and close friends can get into communication cycle routines. Some share their unwanted opinions on politics or religion. Others may have other bad communication habits that seem to come out in the stress and excitement of the season. To be prepared for potential communication conflict, here are a few tips.

Betty Lochner, communication challenges, communication tips, dealing with conflict, holiday communication skills, Relationships

Take My Gratitude Challenge

Since gratitude isn't generally an automatic response, we need to consciously learn how to make gratitude a habit. And, if you feel like you are already generally the grateful type, you can get even better (and happier) with practice.

being thankful, Betty Lochner, building relationships, changing habits, gratitude habits, Positive communication, Thanksgiving

Easy Ideas for Igniting Employee Engagement

Could you use some great ideas for how activities to engage your employees? Here are some easy, low cost ideas that have been wildly successful with the teams I've led.

Employee engagement, office games, team building ideas

Building a Positive Work Culture Starts with Intentional Influence

Building a positive culture starts with being intentional. Here are some ways that you can influence and improve your work culture.

Employee engagement, improve workplace culture, leading with intention, positive work culture, team building, work communication

Conflict Skills: How to Improve your Conversations

If daily conversations aren’t handled well, small disagreements can escalate into full arguments. Improve how you deal with conflict with these tips.

Betty Lochner, conflict skills, effective communication, how to handle conflict well

The Communication Stuck State Cycle

When things are not going the way you want, do you keep repeating the same response or behavior but hope for, or expect, something different to happen? This is called a communication stuck state cycle: repeating the same communication cycle over and over.

Betty Lochner, building habits, communcication skills, communication tips, dealing with conflict, how to improve communication

Communication and Marriage: Lessons Learned

Where did the time go? This month, we're celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary and reflecting on some of the communication lessons we have learned.

communication in marriage, effective communication, interpersonal communication, Relationships

Communication Tip: Shovel Your Piles

One of my key tips that I share is about shoveling your piles before they become larger ones. It's all about starting small, and dealing with issues as they arise rather than letting them turn in to a much bigger problem.

business communication, clear communication, Communication Tip, effective communication, having a difficult conversation, How to improve relationships

Three Communication Lessons I learned from my Dad

I miss my dad, but he lives on in some of the communication lessons I learned from how he lived his life. Here are my top three.

Appreciation, authentic Communication, Betty Lochner, communication tips, lessons from dad, using humor in communciation

Relationships

Sorry, I wasn’t listening: 5 ways to model better listening skills

Three Tips to Prevent Communication Conflicts

Take My Gratitude Challenge

Easy Ideas for Igniting Employee Engagement

Building a Positive Work Culture Starts with Intentional Influence

Conflict Skills: How to Improve your Conversations

The Communication Stuck State Cycle

Communication and Marriage: Lessons Learned

Communication Tip: Shovel Your Piles

Three Communication Lessons I learned from my Dad

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