Are you a pseudo listener?

Communication is a 2-way process, and being a good listener is vital.

Pseudo listening means pretending to listen... faking it! Pseudo listeners often have eyes that are glazed over, a bobbling head, and auto-pilot responses like, "Uh-huh... uh-huh... yeah." This is bad communication.

Why do we pseudo listen? Often, our minds are on other things (that good show on TV or the "to-do" list in our minds). Other times, things like hunger or fatigue can impact our ability to listen well.

I know this stuff sounds so obvious, but so many of us are no less guilty! After the third "Hey Mommy, look at this," I sometimes zone out and say, "Uh-huh, uh-huh... Good... Oh!" But I have to remember that my loved ones want and need to be heard. So, let's all make a cognizant effort to say no to pseudo listening.