How to Appear as if you are Paying Attention

In the modern business world, it is important to pay attention to your colleagues, superiors and teammates. However, most people have had to deal with a situation in which they have needed to appear to be attentive even though their minds were elsewhere. Here are some quick tips to help you look alert, even if you are not.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Grin. Grinning indicates that you are having a reaction to what a speaker says. This reaction will help you appear to be an active listener, even if your mind is elsewhere.
2. Nod. There are 2 ways to nod in order to make someone believe that you are paying attention. The first way is to bob your head slowly at random points throughout the conversation to indicate that you are processing what the speaker is telling you. The second way to nod is to bob your head firmly in a sign of understanding when the speaker influxes his or her tone.
3. Sigh. When the speaker raises his or her voice or appears to grow excited about what he or she is saying, let out a deep sigh. You can accent the sigh with a low growl where appropriate.
4. Shake your head. Shaking your head will often have the same effect as nodding your head, as they are both indications of shared perspective and understanding. Shake your head especially if it appears that the speaker is upset about a situation.
5. Squint your eyes as if trying hard to process what the speaker is saying. When you squint your eyes, you will not only conceal the fact that they are glazed over, but it will appear as if you are physically reacting to a challenging idea or conversation. The speaker will love your interest!

Tips & Warnings

• Do not just stand or sit still when trying to make it appear as if you are paying attention; active listeners move their heads, eyes and bodies when they are engaged in conversation.
• If you are prompted for a reply, avoid saying simply, "yeah!" Instead, try to remember what the person was talking about and give some unique thoughts, even if they are unrelated. In most cases, the person with whom you are speaking will try to form a connection with what he or she said and with what you said.
• Learning to master the art of appearing as if you are paying attention even if you are not is a talent and a skill that can truly help you to build casual acquaintances, bond with teammates at work, and multitask. Just remember: the cardinal rules of faking attentiveness are to never let yourself yawn or fall asleep while engaged in “conversation!”

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