This document provides guidance on active listening techniques. It discusses focusing on the speaker, avoiding distractions, asking open-ended questions, reflecting back what is said without judgment, detecting emotions, and summarizing key points at the end of the conversation. The document emphasizes letting the speaker finish fully without interrupting, waiting for natural pauses before adding questions or comments, and mirroring the speaker's energy and expressions.

1. Svitlana Bondar

3.  Foster confidence. Strengthen resilience to change.
 Create an environment for others to grow.
 Off-load Managers by growing self-motivated Leaders
 Instill the culture of support and trust
 Increase retention
to name a few…

5.  Pride
 Title minded
 Undisciplined
 Resistant to change
 Unnecessary Distractions
 Highly talented
 Low value
 Price tag
 Underestimating

6. Choose your option

7. o Mastery in asking powerful questions in a guided dialog.
o Providing a comprehensive solution to the problem, if it is explicitly
requested.
o Digging deep into the person’s past to find the root cause of the
problem.
o Sharing appropriate examples from own experience

8. SoftServe Confidential
Purpose Focus Method Model
Mentor Transfer knowledge
or skills
Experience and
strengths of the
Mentor
Sharing, modelling,
teaching
Parent-Child
Consultant Provide expert
knowledge or advice
Problem solving Observing, telling,
advising
Teacher-Student
Therapist/
Counselor
Helps overcome past
trauma or pain
Past emotional issues Therapy Doctor-Patient
Coach Aid personal
discovery and growth
Future goals and
actions
Asking powerful
questions
Partners

10. P
Producer
A
Administrator
E
Entrepreneur
I
Integrator

13. https://www.dreamstime.com/

14. 1. Listen
2. Hear
3. Patience
4. Questions
5. Mirror
6. Emotions
7. Sense

15. SoftServe Confidential
Inhale and exhale several times before.
Be attentive. Nod.
Stay focused on the conversation.
Relax and clear your mind.
Turn toward the speaker.
Sit up straight to show your presence.
Hint: Start with a small talk.
Text (sms).
Read, write.
Gaze into the monitor/TV.
“Cosmetic” listening.
Walk erratically.
Shout out unexpectedly.

16. SoftServe Confidential
Stay focused on the conversation. Appeal immediately to own experience.
Confront or challenge from the start.

17. SoftServe Confidential
Let the speaker finish the point.
Wait for a pause to interject or ask.
Jump-in/Interrupt
Judge
Justify

18. SoftServe Confidential
Open-ended and probing questions.
E.g., What is the best possible outcome?
What are you trying to achieve?
What do you want to happen next?
What does success look like?
How will you know if you've succeeded?
Where does it take you?
Is there anything good in this situation?
Ask Yes/No questions
Start with Why?..
No questions.
Assume.

19. SoftServe Confidential
Paraphrase.
Request clarification.
Respond with matching expressions - a
smile to a smile.
Reflect the same energy or emotions.
Show an appropriate excitement for big
news.
Mock
Exaggerate
Overreact.
Behave like know-it-all.
Be prejudiced.

20. SoftServe Confidential
Detect emotions.
Reflect emotions.
Show appropriate emotions.
Consider non-verbal signs.
Empathy.
Stone-face
Expressionless lecturing
Inappropriate silence.
Sympathy as opposed to empathy.

21. SoftServe Confidential
Summarize.
Recap key facts.
Homework is fine 
Finish conversation abruptly.
Avoid stereotypic expressions.

22. 1. Chair of complaints
2. Chair of dreams/wishes
3. Chair of decisions

23. Complaints.
Where I am now.

24. Dreams and wishes.
Where I want to be.

25. Decisions.
What do I do with this.

26. 7+7+11
 Find a partner. Person A and Person B.
 Think of a recent
• Success story
• Failed project or activity
• Conflict
• Achievement
 Person A tells Person B their story. Person B uses active listening to follow.
 Swap.

27. To the Listener:
 How was it? Was it easy?
 Did you follow the sequence?
 Did you use all the steps?
 Did you follow the steps in the stated order?
 What made you skip steps or shuffle the steps?
 What was the most difficult?
To the Speaker:
 Were you listened to? How did you know that?
 How did the questions make you feel?
 What would you recommend to the Listener?
 What question the Listener should have asked you but didn’t?

29. Cell: +38 050 692 03 55
Skype: svitlanabondar
Svitlana Bondar sbondar@softserveinc.com