ESSENTIAL SKILLS
"To effect the possibilities of expansion and consolidation implied by entry by troops, a determined, worldwide effort to develop human resources must be made."
-- The Universal House of Justice, Ridván Message 153, 1996, paragraph 27
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PREPARATION
"One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh." [SQ14]
- Identify the stage the person may be in.
- Review the goals and checklist within the appropriate stage.
- Prepare spiritually by saying prayers.
- Start a folder or a record; a place to keep notes together.
- Review any background notes on the person (i.e., their history with the Faith, notes their mentor has taken from their encounters).
- Create an appropriate environment for an encounter to take place.
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INTERVIEWING
- Determine what it is you want to gain from the encounter (i.e., what the person is interested in; their contact information).
- Ask appropriate questions (open or closed questions).
- Establish the essence of the conversation (mental paraphrasing).
- Direct the conversation
- Interactive listening (clarify points and respond).
- Be patient. [EP9]
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NOTE-TAKING
- Record the results of each encounter (i.e., personal information, preferences, guiding beliefs, what was discussed, questions that were raised).
- Summarize.
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LISTENING
"Consider the way in which the Master teaches people. His listens very carefully to the most hollow and senseless talk. He listens so intently that the speaker says to himself, 'He is trying to learn from me.' Then the Master gradually and very carefully, by means that the other person does not perceive, puts him on the right path and endows him with a fresh power of understanding."
-- Reported words of Bahá'u'lláh, Stories from the Delights of Hearts, p. 110
- Concentrate.
- Avoid formulating responses while the person is talking.
- Empathize; show an interest in what others are saying.
- Acknowledge the person's feelings.
- Try to determine whether the person is looking for solutions or empathy.
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FINDING COMMON GROUND
"Let him survey the possibilities which the particular circumstances in which he lives offer him, evaluate their advantages, and proceed intelligently and systematically to utilize them for the achievement of the object he has in mind." [SQ31]
- Respect the person's background.
- Stress similarities between the person's guiding beliefs and perspectives.
- Maintain a positive spirit [EP20] .
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SPEECH
"A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding." [EP35]
- Be tactful.
- Use moderation.
- Be aware of possible cultural or ethnic differences.
- Be enthusiastic.
"The wise are they that speak not unless they obtain a hearing..." [EP37]
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