Active listening is an important communication skill that entails gathering information from others and reflecting back to them—via questions and body language—that you heard it. Active listening is seen as a significant working ability since it may frequently result in clearer communication and more productive interactions with coworkers, managers, and clients.
Active listening, like any other talent, may be improved with practice and a more focused approach to discussions. In this post, we’ll discuss what it means to actively listen and seven techniques to enhance your listening skills.
What is active listening?
Often, we forget what we hear. According to Harvard Business Review research, the average listener recalls just 25% of a discussion or lecture two months later. Active listening necessitates significantly more attention and empathy, which should lead to a better comprehension. According to scholar Harry Weger [2], it is the habit of listening intently to what someone is saying in order to display unconditional acceptance and unbiased reflection.
Carl Rogers created the practice, sometimes known as “reflective listening,” for psychologists in the 1950s [3]. It has subsequently been employed in several industries, including business and education. When we exercise active listening, two things usually happen: we remember crucial information, and the person speaking to us feels understood.
Benefits of active listening
The technique of being more mindful while listening can help your career. Listening lets individuals feel heard in everyday talks with coworkers, networking, and maintaining true ties as a manager. Empathy, the foundation of active listening, is critical for developing meaningful connections. Active listening can also help you regulate your emotions, remember material and information more effectively, and settle conflicts.
According to McKinsey, demand for social and emotional skills, particularly active listening, is expected to increase by more than 20% across all industries between 2016 and 2030 [4]. Furthermore, research indicates that high interpersonal skills are a powerful predictor of overall workplace performance, owing to the relationship between team effectiveness, empathy, and inclusion [5].
7 active listening techniques
If you want to improve your active listening skills, the approaches described below may be helpful. They are based on the idea that active listening is an ever-evolving skill.
1. Focus on the intent and purpose of the conversation.
Active listening begins with the intention of being awake and sensitive to the other person, including the conversation’s meaning and purpose, in order to genuinely comprehend and sympathize with them. Mindfulness in active listening indicates that the speaker has your entire attention.
Mindfulness typically refers to being respectful and aware of the current moment. No daydreaming, no interrupting, and no planning what you’ll say in response. Instead, focus on the content and meaning of their words and body language. That way, you and the speaker may establish a real relationship.
2. Pay attention to body language.
Nonverbal cues play an important role in communication. According to scholar Albert Mehrabian [6], communication in face-to-face conversations is 55% nonverbal, 38% audible, and 7% spoken.
Body language refers to both conscious and unconscious motions and movements that communicate or transmit meaning. It may involve facial expressions, posture, hand gestures, eye contact or movement, and touch. When listening to others, evaluate your body language. Nodding your head, making eye contact, and smiling (if appropriate) are all great ways to demonstrate that you’re paying attention.
3. Give encouraging verbal cues.
Verbal cues are reactions that a listener may give to indicate that they understand what is being said. This includes what Wharton professor Maurice Schweitzer refers to as “minimal encouragers,” such as responding “yes, I see” or “mmhmm” or “I understand.” These are frequently used alongside motions and expressions like smiling or nodding.
In turn, the speaker may provide verbal clues when they want the listener to pay close attention, such as speaking more slowly or loudly to highlight key points, emphasizing specific phrases, adopting a different tone of voice, or pausing. In such quiet, they could anticipate a reaction from their audience.
4. Clarify and paraphrase information.
In a discussion, simply nodding and making eye contact is insufficient. In the workplace, you may have questions about whether your mind has understood the entire picture. Clarifying and paraphrasing the information back to the speaker might assist both of you close any gaps in your knowledge?
In a formal setting, with a supervisor or professor: Paraphrasing information can assist you guarantee that you fully and properly understand what the other person is attempting to say.
- Supervisor, sorry for the delay. “I just wrapped up a meeting with the executive staff, and your budget proposal has been conditionally approved for next quarter.”
- Direct report: “So we can start hiring for the new positions as long as we fulfill our quarterly targets? Is this correct?
- Supervisor: “Yes, exactly.”
5. Ask questions.
Asking questions might help to clear up any confusion. You may believe you’ve absorbed the most of what they said, but you still have questions. By asking clarifying questions, you guarantee that you have received accurate information.
As an active listener, you may express your interest by asking questions. An open-ended inquiry might prompt the speaker to expound on an important or fascinating point. It also demonstrates that you have been paying close attention up until that point and are eager to learn more. This can foster a relationship between the speaker and the listener.
6. Refrain from judgment.
When engaging in active listening, it is critical to stay open, impartial, and nonjudgmental. What’s great about learning to be a better listener is that you’ll be exposed to fresh ideas, views, and chances that you might not have had before. Withholding judgment, avoiding criticism, and approaching every interaction with an open mind can lead to numerous opportunities.
7. Summarize, share, and reflect.
Make sure to conclude your encounter on a positive tone. Share a brief summary or notes on what the speaker stated. If asked, express your ideas and opinions in a way that shows you have absorbed the material. Sharing views and feelings in casual situations can lead to more in-depth and meaningful discussions.
After the conversation, think about what you learnt. Whether it was a lecture, an interview, or a discussion with an old acquaintance, you may have had powerful sentiments or ideas that needed to be processed or documented. You may wish to discuss your thoughts with a teacher, coworker, or friend. Feel free to contact them and connect with them following the initial engagement.
Conclusion:
To summarize, attentive listening is a valuable skill that may significantly improve communication, strengthen ties with people, and advance one’s profession. The requirement for social and emotional intelligence in 2024, particularly active listening, will further grow as we learn to navigate communication challenges in a range of occupations.
This article covers ways for improving your active listening abilities, such as understanding the objective of talks, noticing nonverbal indications, and using supporting verbal cues. People who devote time and effort to improving this skill can benefit themselves and their careers greatly. The ability to truly grasp others’ perspectives, regulate one’s emotions, and resolve disagreements makes one a valuable asset.
The practice of active listening, as indicated by practices such as summarizing, raising questions, and refraining from passing judgment, provides a means of developing meaningful relationships in an era where people skills are becoming increasingly important for job success.
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