Case study. Austin wasn’t a big communicator. He liked to get right to the point so that an issue could be solved or a project moved forward. He especially didn’t like it if someone seemed to be taking too long to get to the point. He tended to listen with his arms folded across his chest, and sometimes even tapped his foot without realizing it. If a person came into his office while he was working, he continued working while the person talked. This meant sometimes he missed important details. During his yearly review, Austin’s manager told him that Austin’s coworkers and direct reports felt that he never really listened, and that they were bothering him even when they had to come to him with important things. Austin’s manager suggested he take a one-day communication course and try some of the techniques. Austin agreed, but only because he felt he had no choice. In the course, they talked about non-verbal communication, and Austin realized how off-putting his habits were. He decided to try to be more mindful of his non-verbal communication and listening style.
