1. Connecting4Success Advice Guru Virtual Training 2011
4/25/2017 1:06 AM
Connecting4Success Advice Guru Virtual Training 2011
Module 2
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2. Overview- Module 2 Effective Interpersonal Communication
Attention skills
Listening skills
Self Assessment
Empathetic understanding
Interchangeable responses

3. Introduction
To be an excellent Advice Guru, you must learn and demonstrate appropriate attending skills, active listening techniques, empathy, and interchangeable responses
Advice Guru’s must remain nonjudgmental and genuinely enjoy assisting their mentee with his/her transition to university
In order to develop and establish a helping relationship high levels of trust, respect and warmth are necessary

4. “About 70 percent of an average person’s waking hours are spent communicating.”
WISC-Online

5. Attention Skills Physical Attention
You body should be communicating nonverbally that you are really interested in what your mentee is saying
E.g. sitting down, good eye contact, providing supportive expressions of warmth and caring
You should not be displaying behaviors that may be distracting to the person seeking help
E.g. no fidgeting, distracting movements, ignoring cell phone, or judgmental facial expressions

6. Attention Skills Psychological Attention
Focusing on the whole person (E.g. feelings, thoughts, intentions), while being attentive
Trying to enter the other persons world, seeing and experiencing the world as they do

7. Listening Skills As an Advice Guru, listening skills are critical
Common Problems/ Barriers in Listening
Environmental distractions
Cell phones, noise, temperature, odors, other people talking
Pride
Taking over the conversation because we think that they have nothing to learn from our mentee
Close mindedness
Don’t assume that you have all the right answers
Keep an open mind for effective listening

8. Listening Skills Thought Speed
The human mind can process a lot of information in a short period of time
Don’t jump to conclusions
Avoid letting your mind stray while you are meeting with your mentee
Defensiveness
Defending is a primal response to feeling attacked, threatened, misunderstood or disrespected
Don’t view comments and criticisms as a personal attack

9. Active Listening Skills: Self Assessment
Please click the following link to complete the Self Assessment:
If you cannot click on the link, please copy and paste the link into your browser.

10. What were your results? What was your score on the self-assessment?
What are some of your listening strengths?
What are some of your listening weaknesses?
How do you plan on improving upon your weaknesses? Hint: You may see these questions again on the Module 2 Quiz

11. Empathic Understanding
Empathy is a critical dimension to interpersonal communication
Empathy is the capability to share another being’s emotions and feelings (Wikipedia, 2011).
Putting yourself in your mentee’s shoes
Empathy is not sympathy
In other words, you can understand why someone feels the way they do, but you don’t necessarily have to:
A. Feel the same
B. Think the same…in order to have empathy with them

12. Interchangeable Responses
How do you demonstrate that you are listening intently and understanding the problem you are hearing?
Interchangeable Responses
Paraphrase what your mentee has told you
Mentee: “I can’t believe the time I wasted this morning. Dr. Jones and I had an appointment to discuss my winter class schedule and I waited an hour and he never showed up. This is the second time he has done this to me” Appropriate interchangeable response…
Mentor: “It seems that you’re really annoyed because Dr. Jones failed to show for your advising appointment. Being the second time this has happened makes it even more irritating to you”.
This interchangeable response captures both the context and feelings expressed by the student and allows the student to continue to self explore the problem.

13. Congratulations. You have almost completed Module 2
Congratulations! You have almost completed Module 2. Now it’s time to take the quiz! Please click on the following link.
If you cannot click on the link, please copy and paste the link into your browser.

14. References
McShane, S. (2000). Active listening skills self assessment. McGraw Hill. Retrieved from:
lifetofullest.com. (2011). 5 effective listening barriers. Retrieved from:
mowgli=mentoring Exploring empathy in mentoring. Retrieved from:
Ender, S., Newton, F. (2000). Students helping students. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.