Overcoming Communication Barriers
Organizations have always known that success depends on people communicating effectively, contributing not only to the bottom line but to a positive performance environment. Successful organizations also know that good communication is not just about speaking well. It's about the quality of the connection between the senders and the receivers of the message. The strongest influence on the quality and outcome of all communications is the ability to listen effectively. Only by listening effectively can you respond appropriately. The Personal Listening Profile^® helps individuals understand how to listen more effectively in a variety of situations. It is useful in many applications, including customer service, presentation skills, conflict resolution, and team building.

Learn to Listen and Respond with Purpose
Listening is more than hearing. Listening is the ability to receive, attend to, interpret, and respond to verbal messages and other cues, like body language, in ways that are appropriate to the purpose. If the message is entertaining, our purpose is to enjoy, so we listen and respond in a relaxed manner. If the message is intended to persuade us, our purpose is judgment, so we listen and respond critically. It is estimated that people screen out or misunderstand the intended meaning or purpose of a message in over 70 percent of communications, making listening the biggest contributing factor to miscommunication.

Discover the Impact of Different Listening Approaches
Behavioral research shows that people approach listening with different purposes and with different motivations related to that purpose. The Personal Listening Profile helps people discover their preferred or most natural approach to listening as they gain insight into the different listening approaches of others. The Personal Listening Profile identifies five listening approaches:

• Appreciative
• Empathic
• Comprehensive
• Discerning
• Evaluative

Adopt an Appropriate Listening Approach
The Personal Listening Profile also helps people see that their preferred listening approach may not be appropriate to every situation. They learn when and how to adopt another listening approach for more successful communication. It outlines three primary factors to consider in choosing the listening approach appropriate to the situation: Purpose, Motivation, and Behavioral Indicators.

Enhance Individual and Team Performance
Organizations use the Personal Listening Profile to:

• enhance communication
• reduce conflict
• strengthen customer relationships
• develop leaders
• improve management effectiveness
• boost productivity