Listening audit
Vinthony Academy · vinthony.comRate 1 (almost never) to 5 (consistently).
I don't rehearse my reply while they're still speaking.
The biggest single tell.
I leave silence after they finish before I start.
Two seconds. It changes the conversation.
I ask one follow-up question before responding.
Curiosity, not interrogation.
I notice when I'm bored and lean in instead of zoning out.
Bored often means I'm about to interrupt.
I summarise back what I heard, in their words.
“What I'm hearing is…” Then check.
I make eye contact without staring.
Phone face-down. Body open.
I notice my own emotional reactions and don't outsource them as ‘your fault.’
Owning your reaction defuses most defensiveness.
Lowest-scoring habit.
One conversation this week where I'll deliberately practise it.