March 2022
Mandala of the Month
Download ”Communication” Mandala to Color
“We have two ears and one mouth so that
— Epictetus
we can listen twice as much as we speak.”
“Whatever words we utter should be
— Buddha
chosen with care for people will hear them
and be influenced by them for good or ill.”
“The biggest communication problem is
— Stephen Covey
we do not listen to understand.
We listen to reply.”
This month’s MotM encourages us to be better communicators as well as better listeners. Being better communicators means we are clear on what it is we want to say and why we are saying it. Being better listeners means we attentively hear what others are saying. And if what is being said is unclear, we give ourselves permission to ask questions and allow others to do the same.
Helpful Guidelines
Before you speak, THINK…
T – is it True?
H – is it Helpful?
I – is it Inspiring?
N – is it Necessary?
K – is it Kind?
The Center for Creative Leadership, lists seven key active listening skills:
- Be attentive.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Ask probing questions.
- Request clarification.
- Paraphrase.
- Be attuned to and reflect feelings.
- Summarize.
Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
Mandala of the Month 