“Business of listening”: Dr. Graham Bodie to speak at LOU Lead

Published 10:30 am Thursday, September 27, 2018

The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Chick-Fil-A, will host a LOU Lead Talk lead by listening educator and consultant, Dr. Graham Bodie, this Friday, Sept. 28 at 11:45 a.m. at the Jackson Avenue Center.

In his talk, Bodie will highlight the importance of listening to businesses. Research shows that poor listening costs medium-to-small businesses up to 17.5 hours of lost productivity per week with potential annual revenue lost estimated at $500,000.

“Anyone with a job that requires interaction with others can benefit from learning more about effective listening,” Bodie said. “Whether you are a supervisor with managerial responsibilities or a sales person who has to manage several clients, listening more effectively can pay dividends. More than that, good listening is a skill that transcends business, helping you be a better parent, spouse, friend, and neighbor.”

Bodie is an internationally recognized expert on listening and has published over 80 monographs, book chapters, and encyclopedia entries. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and featured in the Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today and on National Public Radio.

“Listening is one of the most important skills and yet the one we have been formally taught the least,” Bodie said. “Most people have never had a class on listening, and instruction in how to listen pales in comparison with instruction on how to speak. Speaking well will get you only so far.”

Bodie received his B.A. and M.A. in Communication from Auburn University and his Ph.D. from Purdue University. He is currently professor of integrated marketing communication in the School of Journalism and New Media at Ole Miss.

Bodie also serves as the Chief Listening Officer for Listen First Project, a global movement to mend the frayed fabric of communities through conversations.

The LOU Lead talk is open to the public, and lunch will be provided by Chick-Fil-A. Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP to pam@oxfordms.com.