How to Become an Active Listener

Most people are willing to take training to talk better so they can become great speakers, effective negotiators, or productive presentation givers. However, talking is only one part of communication. The other part is hearing and understanding the communication, which is often referred to as active listening. So what type of training or preparation does this active listening require? Follow the steps below during every conversation to become a more active listener.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience

1. Pay attention. The easiest easy to do this is to look directly at the person speaking. Then concentrate and give the speaker full attention by not thinking about other things when they are talking. To aid understanding, watch for cues in their body language. Don't get distracted and resist the temptation to interrupt or argue while they are talking.

2. Acknowledge you are listening. Keep personal posture relaxed and non-judgmental, while using appropriate facial expressions based on their cues. Also nod occasionally or say "uh huh" or "yes" to keep them talking. Don't talk until they stop talking.

3. Verify what was heard. Get better understanding by asking questions for clarification or by paraphrasing what was heard and asking if that is correct. Try to be empathetic by reflecting their emotions when summarizing what was heard.

4. After doing these three things, it is time to talk by responding appropriately. While talking, be sure to respectfully share honest beliefs, feelings, or opinions about what was heard. Then be willing to repeat the first three steps when the other responds to what they think they heard.

Resources

• More Business Communication Tips

[drgeoff]

on 8/8/2009 good article shirley!

[MidniteWriter]

on 2/2/2009 Honesty is important and so is active listening. You can tell a lot by a person's eyes and facial expression. It is rare to find a "good" listener who hears and reflects what you say. Good article!