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Can you listen without judgment?
Coaches listen, am sure you know that is part of the role, but how clear are you (are all of us!) on what it really takes to be an effective listener?
Today I am highlighting what it means to listen without judgement, then what can then come after that, depending upon the client, the situation, as well as the role they wish the coach to play. I’ll then finalise by sharing a few thoughts around what it takes to, after listening, “reflect, then clarify” at an advanced level.
The graphic above is from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) and is a nice summary of six active listening skills, distilled in a linear fashion as a listening process.
First, let us look at the word judgment. In the purest form, this is to be absolutely without bias or opinion, to have a completely open mind and simply listen actively and intently, with full presence. However, and I speak from many years experience, the work we must do in order to effectively listen without judgment is the practice of a lifetime, as all of us have our biases, so to be fully and completely open of mind as we listen is a key part of the work that enables us to listen.
Spinning Plates
To illustrate, then give you a tool to use, when you listen to someone next, check how long it takes before you form an opinion on something they…
