Preconceived notions or biases are signs of poor listening. The life coach cannot project personal values onto the client's words and expect to be listening well. A good listener also does not jump to conclusions or finish the client's sentences. Instead, the life coach erases all preconceived notions and listens with a fresh mind. The life coach also does not interject judgment or opinion, especially when none was solicited. Judgment is one of the greatest obstacles to good communication. As Carter-Scott & Stewart (2007) put it, "judgments are the cancer of interpersonal relationships," (p. 61). The life coach seeks to connect with the client while suspending all judgment. A life coach learns about the client in a state of attentiveness and presence of mind. By emptying the mind and releasing the need to be right or superior, the life coach listens with an open heart. Asking open-ended questions to establish...
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