Stop Multi-tasking and Listen!

You're finalizing a proposal that your client needs within an hour. The phone rings. You answer, and then discuss your roommate’s question about where to have her boyfriend’s birthday party and then discuss who paid the electric bill.  Did you copy and paste last months’ stats? Should that be double spaced?  A co-worker stops by to update you on changes to the agenda for the afternoon's meeting. If you go first then you can use the existing PowerPoint presentation..  Can you find those slides ASAP?  Would it be better to place the budget detail first? or will that frighten the client? Your email alert sounds.  You can’t resist.  You open it. It’s a memo from your boss complementing you on your contributions to last week’s status meeting.  Should you forward this to your mother?  Now there’s only 45 minutes left and the summary paragraph is still not written.   Agenda? Proposal? It’s all a blur.  Abandon your notions of multi-tasking and listen. Scientific research shows the human brain is a serial processor.  We are most productive when we focus on one task at a time.  Improve the way you work by changing the way you listen.   One active listening technique is paraphrasing.  This will validate your understanding, prompt clarification, derail misinterpretations and reassure the speaker that you are listening. Consider:Statement: Joe, we are not going to complete this project in the agreed timeframe.Paraphrase: So you think we won't meet the deadline?Clarification: No, I think we need to work some overtime and then we can complete the project on time. Another techniques is reflecting.  Describe  the speaker's physical actions.  It prompts explanation of feelings and clarification.  For example: Reflection: When I suggested Jane join the project, you frowned. You think she lacks the technical expertise? Explanation of feeling: Jane certainly has the expertise, but she's the team lead for two other projects whose deadlines conflict with this one. During in person conversations, listen with your whole body. When sitting at a conference table, turn and face the speaker…shoulder to shoulder.  When sitting at your computer, look up, and maintain eye contact. Use facial expressions and gestures to reflect your genuine interest. Focus!  When you have a proposal to write, a presentation to plan a strategy to devise, get off the phone shut down your email, and put away your Blackberry!  Decide what you wish to accomplish and set a time for accomplishing it.  Working in smaller sections of both time and task can be the most inspiring. Listen to your listening.  If your focus does lapse, ask the speaker to repeat. or to clarify.’ Now let me get this straight, you like the first half of the report but need further details in Part 2? A single focus on listening well will reap the benefit of better exchanges with clients, co-workers and managers.  Now about that proposal...