The Strategic Edge Stresses What’s Really So Important About Listening

The Strategic Edge, with a website at http://www.strategic-edge.com, is an organization that offers corporate training programs to improve communication and management. Listing information is incorporated in all their programs, which includes the facilitation of corporate retreats. They have now announced that they now offer new training that focuses on the importance of listening skills.

Dr. Meredith Gardner, founder and owner of The Strategic Edge, says: "In my opinion, listening is the cornerstone of all relationships. It is the glue that binds us together. Listening keeps us in positive, healthy relationships that could continue for years."

Listening skills are an important part of effective communication. Hearing is the physical ability, while listening is a skill. Listening skills allow one to make sense of and understand what another person is saying. Despite this, genuine communication between teacher and student can only occur by showing a willingness to try to understand the students' feelings. Empathic listening promotes honest communication and builds trust and confidence. This is vital even in information technology departments, which is why Dr. Gardner has also established a website at http://www.strategic-cio-solutions.com that focuses on the needs of the IT department.

Verbal communication involves both speaking and listening. In a business organization, listening is key to effective working relationships among employees and between management and staff. Dr. Gardner continues: "Ineffective listening, which is common, is to be formulating a reply whilst the other person is still talking. This and other types of ineffective listening lead to misunderstandings and a breakdown in communication."

As well as giving full attention to the speaker, it is important that the 'active listener' is also 'seen' to be listening - otherwise the speakers may conclude that what they are talking about is uninteresting to the listener.

During the training, as shown on the company's website at http://strategic-cio-solutions.com, participants will learn how to build trust and establish rapport, how to demonstrate concern, how to paraphrase to show understanding, which nonverbal cues show understanding, and the importance of brief verbal affirmations. They will also be introduced to the steps involved in active listening.

People are encouraged to find out more about Dr. Gardener's unique skills and knowledge and the work done through the Strategic Edge on the company website. Those interested in booking a corporate training event or retreat can also do so directly through the website.