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I loved the point about how good listeners see past themselves and get out their own way. I feel it's so easy for my prejudices, experiences, and values can get in the way of really hearing someone else.
Just wondering everyone else's opinion: when do we work the funnel in our initial conversation with our students? Is it when we are doing our needs analysis? Is it after every question we ask them?
One of the most difficult aspects of "working the funnel" in my mind is having a purpose for the questions you're going to ask. This break down made it really clear how I can achieve purpose in my questions which I believe will help me build better rapport and dig deeper into my students' motivations for going back to school and what could keep them from finishing.
I believe one of the best ways to build rapport with a student is reflective listening. When a student feels heard it becomes easier for them to open up and let certain walls down. This allows for a stronger connection and better rapport.
I think one of the best ways we can use this technique is in the portion of that initial conversation when we're helping our students see how a degree could change their lives. I just realized I gloss over this question; when in reality that is a great opportunity to dig in and help our students see what can really be achieved. This technique of questioning would fit nicely into that portion of the conversation.
I've noticed recently that when someone uses a metaphor to describe a situation I'm in I immediately create a picture in my mind of what that looks like. And, that visual seems pretty powerful in summarizing what I'm feeling in that situation. I think metaphors have a way of bringing out what people are really thinking and feeling in a situation which makes this technique highly useful.
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