Elevate Playbook - loop

How do we build a curious mindset? Active Listening

Mindset

Mindsets are an important means through which we process and re-process the events of our lives. That matters because our processing ultimately shapes our emotional experience. A strong mindset is what allows you to stay focused on your intentions, instead of negative thoughts. Your mindset impacts on many vital aspects of your life such as achievement and sustaining success, learning capabilities, problem-solving skills, relationship, health, generation of ideas, and much more.

Active listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. It is a helpful technique to defuse difficult situations and seek solutions to problems. To live the Customer Service Principles of ‘Find a Solution’ and ‘Share Your Knowledge’ we need to make sure we are solving the right issue for our customers. To help us to stay focused on the customer these are some useful tips: Be present • Remove distractions • Centre yourself and focus attention on the customer • Stay relaxed and keep an open mind (even with the pressure of time) Acknowledge and paraphrase • Repeat back key points you heard. • Show interest with your facial expressions, head nods and open body language Clarify using effective questions (often 1-2 questions deep gets the customer a better result) • Open questions to gain information and build connection

What is your mindset?

When we truly understand the customer, we can anticipate their wants, needs and communication preferences, create meaningful experiences, and build lasting relationships with them.

In TELL mode, we have a mindset of ‘I am right’ . Our goal is to ensure that the c ustomer understands my point of view , which means that we spend a lot of time in confirming and defending our perspective.

In ASK mode, we display an ‘I am curious’ mindset and our goal is to ensure that the customer believes they are heard and understood. We spend more time asking questions and listening to understand, which builds more memorable moments for our customers.

Our mindset will inform our behaviours which impacts the customer’s experience.

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