[Bigiron]

THE NONVERBALS OF LISTENING 

Two essential factors in understanding your audience are empathy and being an active listener. The Chinese character for “listening” is actually rather complex; it contains the characters for “ear,” “eyes,” “heart,” and “undivided attention.” There’s a huge difference between listening and listening empathetically. Think of someone in whom you feel comfortable confiding. He or she is probably an empathetic listener. The research is well established that physicians are less likely to be sued if they engage in demonstrated empathetic listening and comforting displays (for example, touching). Stockbrokers who can listen empathetically to their clients are less likely to be harangued when an investment tanks or a bull market turns bear. The manager who can listen empathetically to an employee who has personal or work issues can enhance that employee’s loyalty simply by listening, even if there is nothing he can do to help the situation.