Volume 9 • 2022 • Issue 2

• Healthy Workplace Series • The following article is adapted and reprinted with permission from the LifeWorks website www.workhealthlife.com ListenUp! Enhancing yourListeningSkills Have you ever thought about how important listening can be? Just consider that you spend 80% of your waking hours communicating, and more than 45% of that time listening to oth- ers—your spouse, children, friends, co-workers and acquaintances. What is listening? Listening is more than just waiting for your turn to talk, and more, even, than just being quiet and hearing. Dr. Lyman K. Steil, a well-known authority on the subject, explains that listening involves four stages. First, you hear the message, then interpret, evalu- ate, and respond to it. Studies have shown that most people understand, evaluate and retain approximately 50% of what is said. And after two days, you remember only half of that. The end result is that you comprehend and retain only 25% of what is said. Listening improves your work and your life In the workplace, the cost of poor listening adds up to dollars and cents. It can involve the cost of additional time spent in repeating instructions and having to redo assignments that were carried out incorrectly. Further, some workplace accidents involving physical harm to workers are the result of an individual not listening to directions or warnings before acting. On a personal front, relationships with people can suffer if you don’t listen effectively or if you don’t have people in your life who will actively listen to you from time to time. We all need someone with whom to share our ideas, thoughts and feelings. If you don’t have a listener in your life, you can begin to feel lonely and isolated. How would you rate your best friend as a listener? The magic of a warm and sincere friendship is usually one of the rewards of good listening. We are attracted to people who listen. They calm and support us. Why don’t we listen? If listening is really this important, then why aren’t we better listeners? The reasons can be many, including: • Lack of training. We teach reading, writing and speaking in school. Adults take courses in speed reading, business writing and public speaking. Yet, despite all of our attempts at improving communications, we often neglect the communication skill used the most often—listening. • Hectic lifestyles. Have you ever been too busy to lend a sympathetic ear to a child who has had a tough day at school or to really listen to your mate discuss his or her frustrations? TheMembers’Assistance Program(MAP) is sponsoredby CDSPI andprovides confidential short-termcounselling support , professional guidance, resources and referrals for dentists, dental office staffand immediate family members.MAPservices are complimentary andaccessible 24/7/365 . ContactMAPat 1.844.578.4040 or visit theirwebsite at workhealthlife.com. MAP is operatedbyLifeWorks (formerlyMorneauShepell), the largestCanadian-basedEmployee andFamilyAssistanceprovider in the country.Available services varyby region.UseofMAP services is completely confidential within the limits of the law. 38 | 2022 | Issue 2 SupportingYour Practice