Customer Service Quotes Quotes

If the skill of participatory listening came effortlessly and easy for everyone, there would not be so many misunderstandings, communication breakdowns, irritations, and frustrations.

~ Susan C. Young

Active listening is key to all healthy and effective communication, however, it doesn't necessarily come easily.

~ Susan C. Young

Through the years, I have heard that the average person speaks at about 150-160 words per minute, but can listen at a rate of about 1,000 words per minute. What is going on during all that extra mind time? • Our minds are racing ahead and preparing for the next thing we are going to say.• We are preoccupied with other thoughts, priorities, and distractions.• Our subconscious filters are thumbing through our database of memories, judgments, experiences, perspectives, and opinions to frame how we are going to interpret what we think someone is saying.

~ Susan C. Young

While active listening is crucial for optimal communication, we are faced with a dilemma which can perplex even the sincerest and engaged of individuals.

~ Susan C. Young

You can have the perfect message, but it may fall on deaf ears when the listener is not prepared or open to listening.These listening planes were first introduced by the American composer Aaron Copland (1900-1990) as they pertain to music . . . 1. The Sensual Plane: You’re aware of the music, but not engaged enough to have an opinion or judge it.2. The Expressive Plane: You become more engaged by paying attention, finding meaning beyond the music, and noticing how it makes you feel.3. The Musical Plane: You listen to the music with complete presence, noticing the musical elements of melody, harmony, pitch, tempo, rhythm, and form.

~ Susan C. Young

When you become an actively engaged listener, you will develop the mindful awareness that active listening involves multiple layers and distinct levels.

~ Susan C. Young

To make matters even more complicated, research has shown that we remember only 25-50 percent of what we hear. This inclination not only compromises our connection with another person, but we can fail to retain vital information. All this evidence demonstrates that it is imperative that we intentionally pay closer attention and strive to become an in-depth listener.

~ Susan C. Young

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be a natural communicator and know exactly what, when, why, and how to speak so that your message is conveyed and received as you intend?

~ Susan C. Young

Communicating negatively (gossiping, bragging, bullying, and criticizing) can be disastrous to your reputation, cause you to lose the respect of others, and leave a terrible impression. Why leave this essential expertise up to chance when it can make or break the success of your relations?

~ Susan C. Young

The Art of Communication shares insights to help you communicate with a higher awareness and focused intention and meet people on their level to increase clarity and understanding.

~ Susan C. Young

When you begin conversations with confidence and listen attentively, you will become more flexible and adaptable in most any situation.

~ Susan C. Young

Mindfulness means paying attention to what is happening at this very moment and being keenly aware of your surroundings and the people in it.

~ Susan C. Young

Whether your awareness is focused on your own emotions and perceptions or directed toward the preferences, needs, and feelings of others, being mindful (aware and attentive) will enable you to respond more appropriately.

~ Susan C. Young

This deliberate focus and sensitivity allow you to put yourself in another person’s shoes and walk around a while to better understand where they are coming from and what they are all about.

~ Susan C. Young

Mindfulness is a quiet strength and deeply rooted value which many other cultures understand and often practice better than we do. It can be puzzling to people from other countries as to why Americans are so task-driven and action-oriented.

~ Susan C. Young

Developing this ability instills a sixth sense for navigating human relationships with dignity, grace, and discretion, thus making an intentional and thoughtful first impression.

~ Susan C. Young

As Americans, we typically move full steam ahead without much regard to mindfulness or thoughtful reflection, often to one’s own detriment. Yet it is that same propensity for bold action which makes fulfilling the American Dream possible—where an immigrant can come to our country with nothing and achieve extraordinary things.

~ Susan C. Young

Although it may serve you well, any strength or skill which is overused can become a limitation when it forces you to constantly be moving and looking for the next best thing. Distractions, interruptions, and incessantly chasing after the next golden ring can become the norm.

~ Susan C. Young

Your encounters will be more successful when you slow down, pay attention, and become more mindfully aware of the world around you. Heightening your awareness in your social, situational, contextual, orientational, and cultural scenarios will improve your agility as you adapt to new social settings.

~ Susan C. Young

With your mind alert and your eyes wide open, you will be better able to assess your space and your place for optimizing exchanges and your communication impressions.

~ Susan C. Young

Becoming more socially aware involves greater understanding of the dynamics of social interactions to assure you achieve harmonious outcomes.

~ Susan C. Young

When you are socially aware, you will realize whether you are forcing yourself into a conversation or have actually been invited to participate.

~ Susan C. Young

Sometimes you must earn the right to be included. Otherwise, you may appear awkward or pushy.

~ Susan C. Young

When a person is focused completely on self it is nearly impossible to be mindful of others at the same time. That is a contradiction for healthy communication, networking, and relationship building.

~ Susan C. Young

Sometimes it is better to refrain from engaging in conversation because making no impression is better than making a bad impression.

~ Susan C. Young

When people can't give anything and are only there for themselves, why should others use their time and energy to get involved? There's no benefit.

~ Susan C. Young

Do you attend networking events to give out as many cards as possible or is it your intention to deliver something of value? When you are busy charging ahead with your own agenda, you're not meeting the needs of anyone but yourself—and it's obvious!

~ Susan C. Young

At a Chamber of Commerce networking breakfast, two of my friends and I were standing in a circle talking. A stranger approached, interrupted our little reunion, and gave each of us her card. She then began talking about herself and her business without a hint of social awareness, or care about her interruption. She even had the tactless gall to ask us for referrals. When she left our small circle, we looked at each other and laughed, “What was that?

~ Susan C. Young

Situational awareness enables you to observe your periphery with a clear vision and emotional foresight, which may inevitably keep you socially, physically, or professionally out of harm's way. Connect the dots.

~ Susan C. Young

When you enter a room, a social situation, or a business meeting, be mindful of cues; read between the lines to better understand people and events. What do these things tell you?

~ Susan C. Young

How do you know when to advance the conversation or when there's something still unresolved? When you are situationally aware, you watch the body language and notice the cues that are given to you. Listening and observing are being mindful in the best sense of the word.

~ Susan C. Young

Being “appropriate” means being suitable, fitting, relevant, or proper in a situation. What may be appropriate in one circumstance can be terribly inappropriate in another. How does one discern? Sometimes it is simply a matter of maturity and experience.

~ Susan C. Young

Contextual awareness represents a continuum of behaviors, which illustrates how and why groups of people unite or divide among cultures.

~ Susan C. Young

When you have orientational awareness, your perceptions and impressions are based on location and proximity. Orientation may imply hierarchy, position, and prestige, or be the result of habits, traditions, and perceptions.

~ Susan C. Young

In America, when a man walks in front of a woman it may imply that they are not equals and he is exerting dominance over her, or being arrogant and rude. In a different culture, however, it may be presumed that he is someone worthy of profound respect and is protecting her by going first.

~ Susan C. Young

On a recent business trip, I reunited with a friend I had not seen in twenty years. After having a lovely lunch meeting, we came out of the restaurant to walk towards the parking lot. He automatically moved me to the inside of the sidewalk as he walked along the curbside. His orientational awareness illustrated a chivalrous gesture of protection and respect which impressed me greatly.

~ Susan C. Young

Our cultural lens is so much a part of us that we are not even aware of how obvious it is to others. Like the nose on your face, you may forget that it is there, but everyone else sees it. I can’t look at you and not see your nose.

~ Susan C. Young

Presenting “Mix, Mingle & Glow” in a social context is a lovely way to describe how you can make a great first impression by taking the initiative to help other people shine. Think of the times when you have attended an event where there were a lot of people.

~ Susan C. Young

ASK YOURSELF: Do you remember a gracious hostess, an engaging guest, or someone who worked the room like a honey bee in a flower garden? They would glide from one person to the next, spreading good will and cheer, being the glue that brought everyone together with ease.

~ Susan C. Young

Hostess with the Mostest“Think of a time when you have had a party in your home or had friends over for dinner. Didn’t you want to make sure they were nurtured, cared for, and well-taken care of? Didn’t you want your guests to interact with each other and enjoy the experience so they would remember it fondly?

~ Susan C. Young