Pop Quiz: Which of the following are good reasons to pause before you respond?
1. To give you a chance to gather your thoughts
2. To give you time to you choose a better mindset
3. To stop you from interrupting
4. To ensure you understand the underlying concern
5. ‘Cause you get paid by the hour, might as well take your time
If you answered yes to all (except #5) you are correct!
Taking time to pause can build your credibility and deepen trust with your team. How? They believe you are really listening. Being too quick to respond feels like you are just waiting to speak – that’s not good listening.
Give it a try this week, see how taking a pause can help your interactions.