How to Improve Your Active Listening Skills

Speaking publicly with confidence is given the highest importance in the business world. However, it’s a counterpart; active listening is as crucial a part of successful communication.

Those that have mastered the skill of listening rather than waiting to speak have a deeper understanding of their clients, coworkers, and employees.

If you are looking for ways to boost your leadership skills, stay motivated, or expand your business skills, learning to be a successful listener should be a priority.  In the same way that HearCanada can help you with your physical hearing, you must take steps to perfect being a good listener.

Active listening means fully concentrating on what is being said, rather than just passively ‘hearing’ the message of the person who speaks. It involves paying close attention and listening with all of your senses. It is a way of listening and responding to the speaker. Otherwise, the speaker may think that what they are talking about is uninteresting to the listener.

Active listening is important because it keeps you engaged with the person you are having a conversation or listening to, and it also makes the other person feel heard and valued. Becoming a good listener has many benefits in your personal and professional worlds. You can connect more deeply with everyone when you practice active listening. Let’s take a closer look at a few ways to become a more effective listener.

1. Be in the Moment

Nothing is more disconcerting than having a conversation with someone who seems distracted by other thoughts.

In business, it is essential to understand to be in the moment when communicating with your employees or clients. If you have other tasks on your mind, you cannot listen efficiently. Take care of your tasks first, and then give your audience your full attention.

When actively listening, it’s important to focus on more than just the words being said. Listen carefully for changes in tone, body language, and facial expressions.

Often, people may communicate more than they are saying through their movements and expressions.

2. Listen With Empathy

Active listening requires a level of empathy that allows you to view the conversation from the speaker’s point of view. Leave your thoughts to the side and listen to what the person speaking is trying to communicate.

Imagine yourself being in the situation they are describing and embrace the feeling of need they are trying to communicate. When you put yourself into someone else’s shoes, finding a fair and compassionate solution to a problem is easier.

3. Key Points

At first, active listening can be challenging. Most of us are accustomed to listening to what is said while formatting an answer in our minds.

While this may be helpful in times of decision, it can leave you searching for details you may have missed. Active listening requires you to remain quiet and focused on what is being said and leave your own thoughts to the side.

Collect the key points of what is being discussed, and when they are finished, you can repeat them back to the person to let them know that you have heard them.

4. Keep an Open Mind

Every conversation is an opportunity to learn and grow. To be successful in any area of your life, becoming an active listener is essential.

When a friend, colleague, or loved one comes to you for a conversation, give them your attention, and time, and leave any judgment to the side. Your preconceived notions of how things should be may be holding you back from growing as a person and a professional.

5. Eliminate Distractions

If possible, remove distractions from the area in which you are working, if possible. Make sure your paperwork is tucked away and your notebooks are closed while you are at your desk. Turn down your computer or laptop’s screen to keep yourself from getting distracted. Your conversation won’t be interrupted by alerts if you turn down the sound.

One of the biggest distractions is phones. Turn off your ringer and put it somewhere you can’t see or reach it easily so you can keep your focus. In the event that you are attending a meeting scheduled at a particular time, you should find a place or room that is quiet.

In order to limit the amount of noise and distractions coming from outside, close the door. The listening area should be as comfortable as possible so that you can focus on what you are hearing.

6. Limit Interruptions

In order to ensure that you are listening effectively, one of the most effective things you can do is to allow the other person to speak freely without interrupting. Whether you offer a piece of feedback or you are answering a question, keep in mind that you’ll have plenty of opportunities to present your views later.  If you’re concerned that you won’t

It is also important to take your beliefs and biases into consideration when having a conversation. The beliefs that an individual holds about a subject can sometimes lead listeners to interrupt the conversation because of their views on that subject.

By understanding your biases and beliefs, you will be able to put them aside and move forward. When you have a clear understanding of your biases and beliefs, it will be easier to remain objective during a conversation. It can also be helpful to pause for a moment before moving forward in the conversation so that you can think about what you already discussed.

7. Ask for Additional Details

By seeking understanding, you can formulate targeted questions based on what the speaker is saying. Demonstrate your interest by asking questions. The other person may continue sharing, giving you more chances to listen.

If you aren’t clear on something, ask your conversation partner for clarification. By asking targeted questions and listening, you can expand your understanding of the topic and keep your conversation partner engaged.

Takeaway

To help you get motivated toward success, you need to be a better professional. Practice these aspects of active listening to help you connect where needed and move forward with better understanding.