Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/2582
the quarterly magazine of ILTA 7 Peer to Peer • Pay attention, or at least look like you are paying attention (this might encourage you to actually pay attention). Look interested in what the other person is saying, and maintain eye contact, but don't stare. Look at gestures, especially when they enhance the speaker's meaning. We don't always need to hear and understand every word to get the sense of what is being said. We gain a lot of confidence, however, when we take a moment to focus on who is speaking. And, who knows, that raccoon story might be more entertaining than you thought. ILTA Flex Some Listening Muscles taken from "Rule #1: stop talking! a Guide to listening" by linda eve diamond exercise 1: identify your listening challenges • Write down your bad listening habits for three weeks. Write down what frustrates you and what listening habits you have that might be frustrating the people around you. Do you interrupt others? Do you split your focus between the speaker and your computer screen? Once you identify these points, you can actively focus on changing them. exercise 2: ask for a second opinion and a second • second opinion Talk to people you trust. Ask them if they consider you a good listener. Why do they, or don't they, think that you listen well? Once again, you can work on improving areas that are deficient and then come back to these trusted sounding boards to see if you've made improvements. exercise 3: slow down • Stop waiting impatiently for your turn to speak. Take a moment to absorb what the other person is saying to you. Try waiting a few seconds before responding. Does the slowdown let you focus? Do you have more time to formulate your own thoughts? Or, are other people jumping into the conversation at break-neck speeds because there was an opportune pause? If that's the case, perhaps someone else needs to take a moment to flex his listening skills. ILTA Information Sessions Tuesday, September 15 1:00 pm ET Online Tuesday, October 6 1:00 pm ET Online Rsvp Today! 1.800.JOIN.GWU www.nearyou.gwu.edu/lawfirm O N L I N E W I T H R E S I D E N C I E S I N G W ' s A L E X A N D R I A C E N T E R Graduate Certificate & Master of Professional Studies in Law Firm Management Exciting New Programs! Co-sponsored by the Hildebrandt Institute and the GW College of Professional Studies. Enhance your strategic management abilities. Invigorate leadership excellence in yourself and for your firm. Earn a Master's Degree. Combine coursework in Law Firm Management a nd Law Firm Leadership with an Independent Research Project to earn a Master of Professional Studies in Law Firm Management. 34210 THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/ AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INSTITUTION. www.gwu.edu/gradinfo