WEBVTT - Be a hungry listener

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

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<v Speaker 2>Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>Today's tip is to be a hungry listener. Whether you're

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<v Speaker 2>talking with a loved one or attending a presentation, let

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<v Speaker 2>the speaker feel your desire to hear what they are saying.

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<v Speaker 2>You'll help them and probably enjoy the experience more as well.

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<v Speaker 2>So there's a wonderful passage in Zora Neil Hurston's novel

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<v Speaker 2>Their Eyes Were Watching God, when two old friends, Janie

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<v Speaker 2>and Phoebe are talking after time apart. During this time,

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<v Speaker 2>Jane had a series of intensely joyful and heartbreaking experiences,

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<v Speaker 2>and the narrative voice explains Phoebe's hungry listening Jane to

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<v Speaker 2>tell her story. I like that Janie wants her friend

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<v Speaker 2>to know what she has experienced and felt, and she

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<v Speaker 2>wants to process all that's happened, and Phoebe's hungry listening.

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<v Speaker 3>Makes that possible. I'm sure we've all had similar experiences.

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<v Speaker 3>A friend or family member who seems truly interested in

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<v Speaker 3>what you are saying can help you make sense of

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<v Speaker 3>an event or of complicated feelings. What a gift that is.

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<v Speaker 3>But Hungry listening isn't just for deep, life altering conversations.

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<v Speaker 3>Good listeners can help anyone communicate more effectively. I know

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<v Speaker 3>I have had that experience while giving speeches. I love

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<v Speaker 3>to be able to see audience members smiles and nods

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<v Speaker 3>as they connect with what I am saying. Inevitably, I

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<v Speaker 3>wind up making way more eye contact with the smiling,

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<v Speaker 3>nodding folks than with anyone else. With virtual talks. I

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<v Speaker 3>know that lots of folks like to turn their cameras

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<v Speaker 3>off and relax while they're listening, and I totally get that,

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<v Speaker 3>but I do really appreciate when at least a few

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<v Speaker 3>folks leave their cameras on so I can see that

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<v Speaker 3>they are still with me. Sometimes I've even asked if

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<v Speaker 3>an organizer or two can leave their personal cameras on

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<v Speaker 3>so I can see if my jokes are landing or not.

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<v Speaker 3>Since I know how helpful this active listening is for

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<v Speaker 3>me as a speaker, I try to be a hungry

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<v Speaker 3>listener when I'm in a situation of listening to someone else. Yes,

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<v Speaker 3>it's easy to check your messages or do other work

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<v Speaker 3>or zone out, but by looking carefully at the presenter,

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<v Speaker 3>you can keep them on top of their game show empathy.

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<v Speaker 3>If they say something moving, laugh say something funny, the

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<v Speaker 3>presenter will feel encouraged, which means that they are going

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<v Speaker 3>to give a better and more interesting talk. They might

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<v Speaker 3>possibly even give a more targeted talk. If your body

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<v Speaker 3>language shows when the person is saying something you are

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<v Speaker 3>really into and then you are a little less intense

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<v Speaker 3>when they are off the mark, you're going to get

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<v Speaker 3>a lot more out of a better presentation than one

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<v Speaker 3>where the speaker is flying blind. If you become known

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<v Speaker 3>as a hungry listener, people are generally going to be

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<v Speaker 3>more excited to share information with you. There is so

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<v Speaker 3>much competing for our attention, to be sure, but it

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<v Speaker 3>isn't that hard to actively listen and engage with people

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<v Speaker 3>talking with you. And who knows when you might pick

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<v Speaker 3>up something interesting that is probably going to be a

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<v Speaker 3>better use of time than rolling around on the internet. Again,

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<v Speaker 3>in the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and

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<v Speaker 3>here's to making the most of our time.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you. You can

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<v Speaker 1>send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just

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<v Speaker 1>connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before

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<v Speaker 1>Breakfast Pod that's b E the number four, then breakfast pod.

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

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

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

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

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

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