1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: tip is to be a hungry listener. Whether you're talking 4 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:26,599 Speaker 1: with a loved one or attending a presentation, let the 5 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: speaker feel your desire to hear what they are saying. 6 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: You'll help them and probably enjoy the experience more as well. 7 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: So there's a wonderful passage in Zora Neil Hurston's novel 8 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: Their Eyes Were Watching God, when two old friends, Janie 9 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 1: and Phoebe are talking after time apart. During this time, 10 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: Jane had a series of intensely joyful and heartbreaking experiences, 11 00:00:55,360 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: and the narrative voice explains Phoebe's hungry listening Jane to 12 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: tell her story. I like that Janie wants her friend 13 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: to know what she has experienced and felt, and she 14 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: wants to process all that's happened, and Phoebe's hungry listening 15 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 1: makes that possible. I'm sure we've all had similar experiences. 16 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: A friend or family member who seems truly interested in 17 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: what you are saying can help you make sense of 18 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: an event or of complicated feelings. What a gift that is. 19 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:40,199 Speaker 1: But Hungry listening isn't just for deep, life altering conversations. 20 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: Good listeners can help anyone communicate more effectively. I know 21 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: I have had that experience while giving speeches. I love 22 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: to be able to see audience members smiles and nods 23 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: as they connect with what I am saying. Inevitably, I 24 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: wind up making way more eye contact with the smiling, 25 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: nodding folks than with anyone else. With virtual talks. I 26 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: know that lots of folks like to turn their cameras 27 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: off and relax while they're listening, and I totally get that, 28 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: but I do really appreciate when at least a few 29 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: folks leave their cameras on so I can see that 30 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 1: they are still with me. Sometimes I've even asked if 31 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: an organizer or two can leave their personal cameras on 32 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: so I can see if my jokes are landing or not. 33 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: Since I know how helpful this active listening is for 34 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: me as a speaker, I try to be a hungry 35 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: listener when I'm in a situation of listening to someone else. Yes, 36 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: it's easy to check your messages or do other work 37 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: or zone out, but by looking carefully at the presenter, 38 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: you can keep them on top of their game show empathy. 39 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: If they say something moving, laugh if they say something funny, 40 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: the presenter will feel encouraged, which means that they are 41 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: going to give a better and more interesting talk. They 42 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: might possibly even give a more targeted talk. If your 43 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: body language shows when the person is saying something you 44 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: are really into and then you are a little less 45 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: intense when they are off the mark, you're going to 46 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: get a lot more out of a better presentation than 47 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: one where the speaker is flying blind. If you become 48 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: known as a hungry listener, people are generally going to 49 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: be more excited to share information with you. There is 50 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: so much competing for our attention, to be sure, but 51 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: it isn't that hard to actively listen and engage with 52 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: people talking with you. And who knows when you might 53 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: pick up something interesting that is probably going to be 54 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: a better use of time than rolling around on the internet. Again, 55 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: in the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 56 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey everybody, 57 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 58 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 59 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. At before breakfast Pod. 60 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: That's b E the number four then Breakfast Pod. You 61 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts 62 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: at iHeartMedia dot com that before Breakfast is spelled out 63 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I look 64 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 65 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 66 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.