One if the most difficult listening skills to master is the ability to allow another to vent completely before you offer advice, coaching, solutions or comfort.  It takes fortitude to listen to complaints and grievances. The last thing most people want to do is ask a distraught or upset person if there is anything more they want to say.

Yikes! Who wants to hear more whining, groaning, complaining or tales of woe. But you must! Jumping in to speak (even if there has been a long pause), before the last bit of sticky trash has come unstuck from the bottom of the barrel ensures you won’t be heard.  It’s  akin to  poring clean water atop a thin layer of mud and expecting it to remain clean and  pristine. Not going to happen.

So you must ask, “Is there anything more?”  And if there is, you must ask again. Not until the answer is a resounding (if quiet) “No–that’s it.” can you offer your thoughts.

Try it. It works.

Misunderstood! The Fast Guide to Communicating at Work–What to Say, How to Say It and When to Shut Up is coming soon. Watch for it. In the meantime, get your FREE 6-part audio series, The Power of Effective Communication simply by entering your name and email in the box to your right.