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Awareness and reflection

Watch Dr Beck in a discussion with his A.I. protege as they demonstrate what awareness and reflection look like in real time.

Mastering awareness and reflection allows you to understand people and develop strong relationships based on mutual respect and good rapport. These skills go hand-in-hand with empathy and accountability. To successfully reflect, you first need to absorb the information you’re being presented with to make sure you understand it yourself. You then need to put what you think the speaker meant/intended into your own words.

A graphic of two people talking. Their heads are connected by a red string, which encircles a graphic of an eye.

Maintaining awareness will help you pick up how the person you’re engaging with is feeling. You can then tailor what you’re saying (and how you’re saying it) to the situation. You should always maintain a calm and supportive tone. Ask questions in a sensitive way. For example: “Hey, you sound a little short-tempered. Can you help me understand why?”.

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Active Listening: How to Be an Effective Communicator

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