Are Are You an Active Listener?

Are You an active listener?

Do you listen to respond, or do you listen to understand? Listening is not something many people think too much about, but they could reap the benefits of being an active listener. Not only does your listening style dictate the value you get out of interactions with others, but it will also influence the way people engage with you.

Active listening refers to the practice of giving the speaker your full attention and genuinely listening to them when they’re speaking to you. You have put down your phone, you’re looking at them, you’re engaging with what they’re saying, either through questions or by sharing your opinions on what they’ve said and are truly trying to understand what they are saying to you. This includes paying attention to their nonverbal cues too.

Active listening offers many benefits in personal and professional relationships.

These include:

• Meaningful communication
• Strengthening relationships
• People wanting to talk to you
• People leaving conversations with you feeling understood and heard
• Learning more about those you communicate with
• Coming to a mutual understanding
• Defusing conflict situations

Active listening is essential for business owners or managers. Anyone who deals with people, team members or customers, needs to be able to actively listen to them. This practice involves five simple steps.

1. Pay attention - stop what you were doing and really give the speaker your full focus, don’t get distracted and really try to hear what they’re saying with an open mind and positive attitude.

2. Show that you are listening - in the same way as you’re paying attention to their nonverbal cues, they will subconsciously pay attention to yours. Ensure that your body language is open, attentive and welcoming. Try a slight head tilt to make people feel welcome and engaged, lean forward to show you’re listening and do not cross your arms over your body.

3. Provide feedback - don’t let your personal views get in the way of real communication. Ask questions to get the speaker to elaborate or clarify certain parts of what they’ve said. Doing so will ensure you have not misunderstood their message.

4. Defer judgment - don’t interrupt them as they speak. Sharing counterarguments in the middle of their sentence is not going to make people feel heard. Let them finish what they’re saying before offering alternative perspectives.

5. Respond Appropriately - really listen to what the speaker is saying and respond in an appropriate manner. The speaker will stop trying to communicate with you if you brush them off or don’t respond in a way that is appropriate for the situation.

Implementing the practice of active listening in all your communications will greatly benefit you in a personal and professional capacity. Understanding those around you and showing that you hear them will make them warm to you and pave the way for much deeper and more meaningful interactions with others.