Idea Champions corporate cretivity
Listening with Impact

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
— Stephen Covey

In our attempts to influence others, we often focus our efforts on sharpening our arguments in order to anticipate and refute all possible resistance. When we communicate our position to others, we overstate the virtues of our perspective, downplay possible downsides, and focus our listening on identifying and surfacing the vulnerabilities of alternative points of view. Simply put, when others speak, we are either listening for opportunities to undermine their argument, find support for our position, or rehearsing compelling arguments to further support our pre-existing position.

This is what typically passes for "communication" in today's modern day workplace. It is not communication, merely "conversational endurance" as individuals take turns stating and restating their points of view. The failure to truly listen and seek to understand alternative points of view is one of the main reasons why innovation and collaboration are lacking in most organizations.

Listening With Impact is a dynamic, hands-on workshop for business leaders committed to fostering a culture of innovation in the workplace — forward thinking innovators conscious of the fact that their ability to spark positive change is doomed until they learn to become significantly better listeners.

You Will Learn How To:

  • Communicate to others that you seek to understand their point of view
  • Rethink your position to incorporate the interests and concerns of others
  • Engage in true dialogue in which the goal is to gain a deep understanding of multiple perspectives rather than to select any one of them
  • Understand and apply the three fundamental levels of listening
  • Spark engagement, creativity, and commitment via deep listening
  • Expand your own thinking about what is possible and desirable
Top News & Offerings
MitchDitkoff.com
Click here for the simplest, most direct way, to learn more about Idea Champions' semi-fearless leader, Mitch Ditkoff. Info on his keynotes, workshops, conferences, and more.
Storytelling for the Revolution
Storytelling for the Revolution is Mitch Ditkoff's newly published book about the power of personal storytelling to elevate the conversation on planet Earth. Provocative. Evocative. And fun. YOU have stories to tell. This book will help you tell them.
Storytelling at Work
"The world is not made of atoms," wrote the poet, Muriel Rukeyser. "It's made of stories." Learn how to discover, honor, and unpack the stories of yours that show up "on the job" in Mitch Ditkoff's award-winning 2015 book, Storytelling at Work.
Top 5 Speaker
Mitch Ditkoff, the Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions, has recently been voted a top 5 speaker in the field of innovation and creativity by Speakers Platform, a leading speaker's bureau.
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Workshops & Trainings
Highly engaging learning experiences that increase each participant's ability to become a creative force for positive change
Brainstorm Facilitation
High impact certification training that teaches committed change agents how to lead groundbreaking ideation sessions
Cultivating Innovation
Your "best and brightest" are the future leaders of your company, but unless they know how to foster a culture of innovation, their impact will be limited. A one-day workshop with us is all they need to begin this journey.
Our Blog Cabin
Our Heart of Innovation blog is a daily destination for movers and shakers everywhere — gleefully produced by our President, Mitch Ditkoff, voted "best innovation blogger in the world" two years running.
Team Innovation
Innovation is a team sport. Brilliant ideas go nowhere unless your people are aligned, collaborative, and team-oriented. That doesn't happen automatically, however. It takes intention, clarity, selflessness, and a new way of operating.
Awake at the Wheel, Book about big ideas If you're looking for a powerful way to jump start innovation and get your creative juices flowing, Awake at the Wheel is for you. Written by Mitch Ditkoff, Co-Founder and President of Idea Champions.
Face the Music Blues Band The world's first interactive business blues band. A great way to help your workforce go beyond complaint.

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