Active listening

I was going through some more boxes this week and I found my folder from the Nehemiah Leadership Institute that I attended in 2005. I was flipping through this goldmine of knowledge when I happened upon the unit on active listening. Let me share some of what they taught:

• Active listening is a skill. It must be developed and practiced often or we will lose it.
  
• Hearing is not listening.
• We often are not truly listening to another person because we are focused on what we are going to say next or distracted by other thoughts.
• Body language is a big part of active listening. Sitting forward and engaging the speaker with your body language helps to show the speaker you are interested in what they are saying.
• Active listening can diffuse disputes among people, because sometimes people just want to know that you heard them and their issue.

I thought this was especially helpful when dealing with conflict. I have noticed that can diffuse conflict most of the time just by letting the other person "vent" and letting them know that I am truly listening to what they are saying.

I have noticed when I preach that I tend to feed off of those who are engaging me with active listening. They are making eye contact and showing me with body language (nodding of the head, sitting forward, smiling or frowning) and it truly energizes me. I have always wondered how it would feel to preach in a church where the congregation is standing and giving lots of active listening cues...oh boy...that little Pentecostal preacher inside of me could come out...

Have a great day!