WEBVTT - Second Cup: Be a hungry listener

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is to be a hungry listener. Whether you're talking

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<v Speaker 1>with a loved one or attending a presentation, let the

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<v Speaker 1>speaker feel your desire to hear what they are saying.

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<v Speaker 1>You'll help them and probably enjoy the experience more as well.

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<v Speaker 1>So there's a wonderful passage in Zora Neil Hurston's novel

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<v Speaker 1>Their Eyes Were Watching God, when two old friends, Janie

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<v Speaker 1>and Phoebe are talking after time apart. During this time,

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<v Speaker 1>Jane had a series of intensely joyful and heartbreaking experiences,

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<v Speaker 1>and the narrative voice explains Phoebe's hungry listening Jane to

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<v Speaker 1>tell her story. I like that Janie wants her friend

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<v Speaker 1>to know what she has experienced and felt, and she

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<v Speaker 1>wants to process all that's happened, and Phoebe's hungry listening

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<v Speaker 1>makes that possible. I'm sure we've all had similar experiences.

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<v Speaker 1>A friend or family member who seems truly interested in

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<v Speaker 1>what you are saying can help you make sense of

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<v Speaker 1>an event or of complicated feelings. What a gift that is.

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<v Speaker 1>But Hungry listening isn't just for deep, life altering conversations.

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<v Speaker 1>Good listeners can help anyone communicate more effectively. I know

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<v Speaker 1>I have had that experience while giving speeches. I love

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<v Speaker 1>to be able to see audience members smiles and nods

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<v Speaker 1>as they connect with what I am saying. Inevitably, I

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<v Speaker 1>wind up making way more eye contact with the smiling,

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<v Speaker 1>nodding folks than with anyone else. With virtual talks. I

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<v Speaker 1>know that lots of folks like to turn their cameras

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<v Speaker 1>off and relax while they're listening, and I totally get that,

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<v Speaker 1>but I do really appreciate when at least a few

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<v Speaker 1>folks leave their cameras on so I can see that

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<v Speaker 1>they are still with me. Sometimes I've even asked if

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<v Speaker 1>an organizer or two can leave their personal cameras on

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<v Speaker 1>so I can see if my jokes are landing or not.

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<v Speaker 1>Since I know how helpful this active listening is for

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<v Speaker 1>me as a speaker, I try to be a hungry

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<v Speaker 1>listener when I'm in a situation of listening to someone else. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>it's easy to check your messages or do other work

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<v Speaker 1>or zone out, but by looking carefully at the presenter,

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<v Speaker 1>you can keep them on top of their game show empathy.

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<v Speaker 1>If they say something moving, laugh if they say something funny,

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<v Speaker 1>the presenter will feel encouraged, which means that they are

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<v Speaker 1>going to give a better and more interesting talk. They

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<v Speaker 1>might possibly even give a more targeted talk. If your

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<v Speaker 1>body language shows when the person is saying something you

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<v Speaker 1>are really into and then you are a little less

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<v Speaker 1>intense when they are off the mark, you're going to

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<v Speaker 1>get a lot more out of a better presentation than

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<v Speaker 1>one where the speaker is flying blind. If you become

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<v Speaker 1>known as a hungry listener, people are generally going to

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<v Speaker 1>be more excited to share information with you. There is

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<v Speaker 1>so much competing for our attention, to be sure, but

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<v Speaker 1>it isn't that hard to actively listen and engage with

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<v Speaker 1>people talking with you. And who knows when you might

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<v Speaker 1>pick up something interesting that is probably going to be

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<v Speaker 1>a better use of time than rolling around on the internet. Again,

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<v Speaker 1>in the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and

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<v Speaker 1>here's to making the most of our time. Hey everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd love to hear from you. You can send me

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<v Speaker 1>your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with

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<v Speaker 1>me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. At before breakfast Pod.

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<v Speaker 1>That's b E the number four then Breakfast Pod. You

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<v Speaker 1>can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts

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<v Speaker 1>at iHeartMedia dot com that before Breakfast is spelled out

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<v Speaker 1>with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I look

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<v Speaker 1>forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production

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<v Speaker 1>of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app,

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<v Speaker 1>Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.