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Be a Good Listener
You can't do your job unless you listen. We are programmed from birth to talk. This value is reinforced over and over again in radio talk shows and television programming. What we haven't been taught is how to listen.
Much of what a steward does is to listen -- to members, other officers, witnesses, and managers. We need to get better at listening. Let's face it. We can all talk, but who is it among us can really hear what is said? In order to do so we need to turn off our volume and hear what someone else is really saying. It's all about communicating and that takes work.
Here are six hints to help you.
1. Pay attention to what your member or the manager is saying.
2. Show an interest in what is being said. Maintain eye contact.
3. Concentrate; don’t fake attention or get distracted.
4. Don’t interrupt. Let the person speak their piece. You can’t listen when you are talking.
5. Don’t lecture. No one likes it -- your kids or your members.
6. Ask questions if you are not clear or don’t fully understand when is said. Questions can serve many purposes. They can clarify; show interest; or get precise information that you may have skipped over in order to understand what was generally being said.
After you have finished, take some time to write down a summary of what had been said. Some communicators will argue that it is best to do it after the interview, so you can give the member your full attention. Others say it is good to get it down while the member speaks. There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods. But it is most important to get a record of the conversation on paper. Your memory will not be so clear a week or month later.
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