Q velsoft INSTRUCTOR GUIDE (. CAREER DEVELOPMENT SEI Active ListeningActive Listening PREFACE Understanding Your Training Package Your Velsoft training package contains the following items: © Instructor Guide: Contains all textbook informa activities, delivery tips, and more! © Student Manual: Contains textbook information as well as areas to take notes. Each manual also includes an evaluation form, action plan, and recommended reading list. © Handouts: Contains pre and post class answer keys as well as any additional information or activity resources. © Pre-Assignment: Task for participants to complete before the workshop to get them thinking about the learning that will take place. © PowerPoint Slides: PowerPoint presentation highlighting talking points in the course. © Quick Reference Guide: Two-page cheat sheet of tips and facts covered in the course. © Outline: Word document that outlines the overview and objectives of the course and summarizes each session to be covered. © Advertorial: Pre-made flyer that you can customize and distribute. n plus this preface, icebreakers, ‘© 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Preparing for Training To begin, read through this Instructor Guide. This is intended to be a guide and not a bible! Be guided by your experience, the needs of the participants, and your own common sense, as well as the information in here. Most of the suggestions and all of the information have been developed through research and hands-on, classroom experience, but you will want to customize the material for your particular audience. Practice writing on flip chart paper before the workshop. You may want to draw lines on the paper (lightly, in pencil) to help you. As well, many of the flip charts suggested in this course can be prepared ahead of time. The first page should be set up like this: ‘© Name of Workshop © Facilitated by < Your Name> © Your Organization’s Name For an extra touch, include sheets with the words Courtesy, Participation, and Confidentiality written on them and post them around the room. You might also want to add the words Exercises, Role Play, Learning, and Fun. Have an emergency kit ready with the following items: Extra markers Tape and sticky putty Adhesive bandages An extension cord Safety pins Tissues A bottle of water ‘A fuzzy toy (which can be used for many activities and to spice up any lecture) eo c0000 °° Arrive at least one hour before the start of the session to ensure that: © Signs are placed directing trainees to your room. © The classroom is set up as desired © You know where washrooms, break facilities, smoking areas, and fire exits are located. You have all necessary resources for the day. Materials for the morning are laid out, particularly for the icebreaker. Pens, sticky notes, and scrap paper are placed at every table. IF you are using a laptop, it should be connected to the projector and both items should be turned on 0000 © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Our Top 10 Training Tips Although we will provide advice throughout the workshop, there are a few tips that we think every trainer should know. 1 10. | always shake hands with each participant and introduce myself as they come into the classroom. | find that it breaks the ice and sets the type of friendly atmosphere that is. conducive to learning, | always practice before the big day, even if | have delivered the course beforehand Bring extra activities with you. I have a list of children’s games that I've adjusted for adults. ‘Always have a backup plan! For example, if you plan to use PowerPoint slides, make sure you have a copy of the Instructor Guide, which includes the information to be covered. like to print my instructor guide and place it in a three-ring binder. | put any customized information in here, plus during the workshop | make notes about what worked and what didn’t. This will be a resource that you can build on in the future too! Things will go wrong during your workshop. If you are well prepared and confident, you should be able to resolve most situations quickly and easily. Try not to let participants see you stressed! Involve participants as much as you can. Have them help you set the agenda, guide activities (by passing out or collecting forms, for example), lead discussions, and improve the course. The more participants put into it, the more they will get out of it. Be ready to learn, | have not yet taught a workshop where | didn’t learn something Challenge yourself! Tie everything back to the workplace. It’s no good knowing information unless participants know how to use it. And finally... don’t be afraid to have fun! | always bring a few fuzzy toys with me. | use them as a speaking hat during discussions ~ whoever is speaking has the toy. Plus, it sparks creativity and keeps participants interested. Materials Required Flip chart paper Markers Soft ball or object © Three index cards or sticky notes per participant (Morning Icebreaker) ‘© One blank sheet of paper per participant and a timer (Afternoon Energizer) oo ° © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Related Courses e000 ° Communication Strategies Giving Effective Feedback Emotional intelligence Introduction to Neuro Linguistic Programming Managing Difficult Conversations Additional Resources If you would like more information on training, Velsoft offers Train-the-Trainer courses at several different levels. We also like the following books: oo0 The Trainer’s Tool Kit, by Cy Charney and Kathy Conway Diversity Training, by Cris Wildermuth Games that Teach, by Steve Sugar Sivasailam Thiagarajan’s books on games and activities If you have a favorite resource, please share it with us! © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening AGENDA 10:00-10:15 Session Three: Body Language Basics ms Session Five: Encouraging Conversation [ss-as | eon svn Gein veining Rodos © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Session One: Course Overview (8:45-9:00) Setting the Stage Introductions Introduce yourself. Establish credibility by giving examples of training experience, and your own experiences with today’s topic, including some war stories if you have them. Give the participants a chance to introduce themselves to you. You will probably want to know their name, their department, their position title, and what their interest is in today’s toy Ground Rules ‘Ask participants for some ground rules that should be followed during the course. Record ideas on flip chart paper. After the activity, create a final version and post them where everyone can see. Some common ground rules include: © What we say in this room will stay in this room, © We can disagree with one another and provide feedback as long as we do so constructively and respectfully. © We will all put on our listening hats when someone else is speaking. © Everyone will participate to the extent that he or she feels comfortable. You get out of a workshop what you put into it. © We agree that this is the place to make mistakes and to learn. © We agree to each be responsible for our own behavior. Housekeeping Items Let participants know: © When the workshop will end ‘© When breaks and lunch will be © Where they can find break and restroom facilities © Where fire exits are and what will happen if there is an emergency © What the building’s smoking policy is ‘© How you would like cell phones to be handled, although this should be agreed upon by all participants ‘© What the classroom food and drink policy is © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Agenda Review Present the agenda as a handout, PowerPoint slide, or on flip chart. Review the topics and the timeline, Here is how our in-house trainer handles some common concerns. This looks like a lot of information. Will we be able to cover it all? Reassure participants that today’s timeline is indeed feasible. If issues arise, promise that you will involve participants in solving the problem, rather than cutting out topics or breaks autocratically. We'd rather spend more time on x rather than y. Is that possible? IF itis at all possible, accept suggestions like these. For example, you may be able to move an activity (particularly discussion activities) from one topic to another. Make a few minutes before the session to prepare. Iwas expecting to discuss . Isit included in today’s course? Ifit is included, reassure participants and let them know when it will be covered. If it’s not included, suggest resources or provide additional information. If you don’t have the answers, promise participants that you will track the information down and get it to them as soon as. possible. (Give a timeline if you can.) I didn’t realize that this course covered, - Why is it included in today’s course? This can be a tough one! Usually, | briefly explain the connection and let participants know more information will be provided when the topic is covered. © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Course Overview Ask students to turn to Session One in their workbooks. Read the introduction below. 1% Workbook Material Communication skills are at the heart of everything we do each day, whether at home, at work, or at play. Active listening encompasses the best of communication, including listening ‘to what others are saying, processing the information, and responding to it in order to clarity and elicit more information. This one-day workshop will help participants develop and practice their active listening skills. Learning Objectives At the end of this workshop, you will be able to: © Define active listening and its key components Identify ways to become a better listener Use body language to reflect a positive listening attitude Understand the difference between sympathy and empathy, and when each is appropriate Create a listening mindset using framing, positive intent, and focus Be genuine in your communications Understand the communication process Ask questions, probe for information, and use paraphrasing techniques Build relationships to create an authentic communication experience Identify common listening problems and solutions ° 000 oo o00 Give participants a moment to write down their own learning objectives in their workbook. Action Plans and Evaluations Next, pass out evaluations and action plans. (Both of these items are in the Handouts folder and the Student Manual.) Ask participants to work on these throughout the day. They will also have a few minutes at the end of the workshop to finalize their ideas. © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Session Two: Defining Active Listening (9:00-10:00) What is Active Listening? (15 minutes) Active listening means that we try to understand thin includes letting the speaker know that we are listening said. This is not the same as hearing, which is a physi eardrum and messages are passed to the brain. Active that leads to listening for shared understanding. ‘When we make a decision to listen for total meaning, we listen for the content of what is being said as well as the attitude behind what is being said. Is the speaker happy, angry, excited, sad...or something else entirely? Responding to Feelings The content (the words spoken) is one thing, but the way that people feel really gives full value to the message. Responding to the speaker's feelings adds an extra dimension of listening. Are they disgusted and angry or in love and excited? Perhaps they are ambivalent! These are all feelings that you can reply to in your part of the conversation. Reading Cues Active listening means that we are also very conscious of the non-verbal aspects of the conversation. ‘© What are the speaker's facial expressions, hand gestures, and posture telling us? Is their voice loud or shaky? Are they stressing certain points? ‘Are they mumbling or having difficulty finding the words they want to say? Does their body language indicate that they are uncomfortable or feeling like their message is not being heard? ° ° ° ° Active listeners watch for these cues and adjust their approach accordingly. Sometimes just taking one step back, or ceasing talking and getting the other person to talk to you instead, will be all it takes to ease the tension. ‘© 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Demonstrating Listening ‘When you are listening to someone, these techniques will show a speaker that you are paying attention, providing you are genuine in using them Physical indicators include making eye contact, nodding your head from time to time, and leaning into the conversation You can also give verbal cues or use phrases such as “Uh-huh,” “Go on,” “Really!” and, “Then what?” You can ask questions for clarification or use summarizing statements. Examples: © "Do you mean they were charging $4.00 for just a cup of coffee?” © “So after you got a cab, got to the store, and found the right sales clerk, what happened then?” © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Identifying Good Listeners (15 minutes) @ Activity Ideas @ Slide Material ‘Ask participants to write down the names of three people that they consider good listeners. ‘Some people have a hard time identifying three, so help them out if you can. ‘Once everyone has three names, ask if anyone wrote down the name of a person they do not like. (Usually the answer is no.) Then, ask if any of the three people fit into one of these categories: © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc. ]Active Listening Tips for Becoming a Better Listener (15 minutes) @ Slide Material Divide participants into groups of four to six. Ask groups to review the list of listening tips below. After they have reviewed the information, groups should rank the list from one to seven, with one representing the least useful tip and seven representing the least useful tip. Workbook Material There is room in the workbook for participants to record their ideas. Active Listening Tip N to listen. Close your mind to clutter and noise and look at the person speaking with you. Give them your undivided attention. Don’t interrupt people. Make it a habit to let them finish what they are saying. Respect that they have thoughts they are processing and speaking about, and wait to ask questions or make comments until they have finished. Keep your eyes focused on the speaker and your ears tuned to their voice. Don’t let your eyes wander around the room, just in case your attention does too. Carry a notebook or start a conversation file on your computer. Write down all the ussions that you have in a day. Capture the subject, who spoke more (were you listening or doing a lot of the talking?), what you learned in the discussion, as well as the who, what, when, where, why, and how aspects of it. Once you have conducted this exercise eight to ten times, you will be able to see at what level your listening skills are. Don’t be afraid to ask the other person what they want from the conversation. Are they looking for advice, validation, an opinion, or just an opportunity to vent? Knowing what they want will help you structure your listening approach to effectively communicate with them. © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials nc.Active Listening Active Listening Tip I Ask a few questions throughout the conversation. When you ask, people will know that you are listening to then, and that you are interested in what they have to say. Your ability to summarize and paraphrase will also demonstrate that you heard them. When you demonstrate good listening skills, they tend to be infectious. If you want others to communicate well, you have to set a high example. © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening Pre-Assignment Review (15 minutes) © Activity Ideas Slide, Handout, and Workbook Material ‘As a pre-assignment, participants were asked to complete the Active Listening Inventory. Take a moment to ensure that everyone has done so. Then, divide participants into pairs and have them discuss the assessment (if they are comfortable doing so) and the questions. Instructions For each question below, indicate whether you never, sometimes, often, or always do that activity, Active Liste: g Inventory r Statement Never T Sometimes | Often Always r enjoy listening to others. I multi-task, like organizing my e-mail while | am talking on the phone. r | find listening to other people interesting. r When | am listening to other people, | focus on what they are saying, rather than thinking about what | want to say. r {interrupt others when they are speaking. I When possible, | watch the other person’s body language. I When possible, | indicate that | am listening through body language (nodding my head, leaning in, etc). I try to put myself in the other person's shoes. © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials nc.Active Listening Statement Never Somet Always r People often come to me for advice and help. When someone is speaking, | know what they are going to say. Questions © Based on this inventory, where do you think you are strongest in terms of active listening? © Based on this inventory, where do you think you are weakest in terms of active listening? © Whats one thing that you could do to improve your listening skills? © 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.Active Listening ‘Thisis a sample. The number of pages is limited. Workshop Wrap-Up Take the last 15 minutes for a quick review and to answer any questions the class may have. In closing: © “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” (Epictetus, Greek philosopher) ‘© “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” (Stephen Covey) © “The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard.” (William Hazlitt) also a good time to help participants wrap up their action plans, collect evaluations, and to pass out certificates. @ Trainer's Tip ‘© 2005-2018, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.