How can you improve active listening when coaching volunteers?
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Active listening is a crucial skill for coaching volunteers effectively. It helps you understand their needs, motivations, and challenges, and build trust and rapport. It also shows that you value their contributions and feedback, and that you are willing to learn from them. However, active listening is not always easy to practice, especially in busy or stressful situations. Here are some tips to help you improve your active listening skills when coaching volunteers.
Before you can improve your active listening skills, you need to know where you stand. You can use a self-assessment tool, such as the Active Listening Self-Assessment Questionnaire, to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Alternatively, you can ask for feedback from your volunteers, colleagues, or supervisors. Be open and honest about your areas of improvement, and set realistic goals for yourself.
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Heather Lisle
👉 Nail Your Message. 🙋♀️ Lead Your Team. 📈Scale Your Business. 🎙 Speaker / 💥 Trainer / 🎧 Podcast Host 📺 20+ yrs Comm/Mktg/PR Leader - - > Create, Connect & Cash In on Your Network with Partner Power Lunch Hour!
In order to be an active listener - no matter if you're a volunteer or not - it's helpful to understand the four communication styles so you know how to easily connect with the person you're trying to communicate. Based on the DiSC profile, there are 4 communication styles: (D)Dominant style: extrovert, task-focused, results-oriented, direct, decisive, can be impatient. (I)Influencer style: extrovert, people-focused, enthusiastic, energetic, positive. (S)Steady-Relator style: introvert, people-focused, collaborative, calm, steady. (C)Conscientious style: introvert, task-focused, data minded, analytical, logical, non-emotional. Paying attention to the style and understanding how THEY receive communication will help in any conversation.
Active listening involves both verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal cues include asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing, summarizing, reflecting, and clarifying. These techniques help you check your understanding, show interest, and encourage further discussion. Non-verbal cues include maintaining eye contact, nodding, smiling, leaning forward, and avoiding distractions. These gestures help you convey attention, empathy, and respect.
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Corey Grinder, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant at Ho'onunui, Inc.
The recent discoveries of neuroscience take this a little further. Dr. Jim Wilder and Dr. Marcus Warner recommend something described by the acronym CAKE: showing Curiosity, expressing Appreciation, works and acts of Kindness, along with appropriate Eye contact can go a long way towards engaging volunteers!
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Jennifer Cunningham
Talks about #volunteering, #alumni, #highered, #engagementmetrics, and #philanthropy.
Be aware of different cultures' cues. For example, eye contact isn't universally a friendly sign. And now that "smize" has entered our lexicon, acknowledge that the fake smile is recognizable! :)
There are many factors that can interfere with active listening, such as noise, bias, assumptions, emotions, or multitasking. To avoid these barriers, you need to be aware of them and take steps to minimize their impact. For example, you can choose a quiet and comfortable place for coaching sessions, acknowledge your own perspectives and feelings, suspend your judgment, and focus on the speaker rather than your own response.
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Jennifer Cunningham
Talks about #volunteering, #alumni, #highered, #engagementmetrics, and #philanthropy.
Many meetings are held over meals. That's fine, but choose your timing wisely when talking about sensitive or deep issues. Small talk until after ordering, then as the server leaves, use that as an excuse to shift to the meatier conversations.
Active listening is not only about receiving information, but also about giving feedback. Feedback is essential for coaching volunteers, as it helps them improve their performance, learn new skills, and feel appreciated. However, feedback needs to be constructive, specific, and timely. You can use the sandwich method, which involves starting and ending with positive comments, and inserting a constructive suggestion in between. You can also ask for the volunteer's opinion, and offer support and resources.
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Jennifer Cunningham
Talks about #volunteering, #alumni, #highered, #engagementmetrics, and #philanthropy.
One thing I'm working on is shortening my turn to talk. I read something that said you should talk for 2 minutes or less, then volley back to the other person. This ensures you're not monopolizing, going off on tangents, or sharing the ENTIRE back story.
Like any skill, active listening requires practice and reflection. You can practice your active listening skills in different situations, such as meetings, trainings, or casual conversations. You can also use role-playing exercises, such as the Listener as Coach Activity, to simulate coaching scenarios and test your skills. After each practice session, you can reflect on what went well and what could be improved. You can also seek feedback from others, and monitor your progress.
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Joseph McCarthy
Creative Communicator. Professional Speaker. Leadership Development Consultant. Mentor. Podcaster. Author. Graphic Designer. Branding+Marketing Sherpa // PRINT : WEB : VIDEO : SOCIAL // 657.246.2236
Often, the BEST way to engage listeners is to ask questions rather than just disseminate information. And keep in mind this John C. Maxwell maxim, "People don't care about what you know until they know you care." Your top two priorities should be as follows: 1. Generate ENTHUSIASM 2. Cultivate TRUST Everything else flows from there!
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M. Sahr Nouwah
Partnership | Capacity Development| Localization|Civil Society
1. Do self reflection on your coaching and listening skills 2. Provide more actionable tasks that reduce the number of talking 3. Promote Volunteer leadership skills development by allowing them to take lead 4. Read more, talk less and be strategic 5. Increase your observations skills 6. Understand that even volunteers have wisdom and their own vision 7. See volunteers as a knowledge bank rather than people who have come empty only to fill their brains