Passive listening is one-way communication in which the listener does not respond or ask questions and may or may not grasp the message sent by the speaker. Asking questions to get the speaker to share more details.Restating the speaker's words in your own words to verify understanding.It is referred to as active listening because it involves taking active steps to ensure understanding. Active listening includes giving your full attention to the conversation, not interrupting, and taking adequate time to understand the speaker's message. It is a process that you use to obtain information from a person or group. Are you saying Y?” By giving them a chance to rephrase or clarify, you avoid making unfair assumptions.Īctive listening takes practice, but it has the potential to vastly improve your ability to hear people, communicate, and remember important details in everyday conversations.Active listening is a soft skill that helps people develop better communication. Say, “It sounds like you mean X, and I just want to clarify. If you find yourself becoming upset about what’s being said, ask for clarification. Active listening can avoid that deer-in-the-headlights feeling that can happen when someone asks, “What do you think?” If you’ve been actively listening, you’ll be ready to respond thoughtfully.ĭon’t jump to conclusions! You’re not a mind-reader and neither is the person talking to you. This might take the form of reflecting on what was said, asking follow-up questions, or offering your own perspective. When the opportunity comes up, you’ll be able to offer insightful feedback on what was said. This might seem like a good way to show your engagement, it can derail the conversation. Make eye contact, nod when appropriate, and give small verbal comments like “yes” and “huh.” Don’t interrupt to reiterate something they just said though. The speaker can tell if you’re paying attention. Why are they telling you this? What is takeaway? How does the speaker feel about what they’re saying? Don’t think about answering. Make mental notes about the speaker’s broader point, as well as a few specific things they’re saying. Put down your phone, mute the TV, and make eye contact with the person talking to you. Pay attention! Most people allow themselves to be distracted easily. Here are a few tips on improving your listening skills: Learning How to ListenĪctive listening takes practice. From your first job interview to routine meetings, it’s important to understand and retain what your colleagues, bosses, and clients are telling you.Īctive listening can help you collaborate more effectively, reduce misunderstandings and wasted work, negotiate more effectively, build more successful working relationships, and make a better impression on the people you work with - all important skills to help with career advancement throughout your life. Verbal communication is crucial in every aspect of life, but it’s especially important in your career. Even if they’re paying attention, cues like eye contact, verbal acknowledgement, and replying with insightful comments matters. We can all tell when we’re speaking with someone who is zoned out. The other side of active listening is making sure the other person knows that you’re doing so. If you’re watching TV or scrolling through TikTok on your phone while someone is talking, you’re not actively listening. Active listening requires paying attention. Instead, you consciously analyze what you hear, and try to pick up on intent, content, and emotion from the speaker. It involves more than listening to the words they say. Rather than giving someone a fraction of your attention, active listening is making a conscious effort to hear, understand, and retain information that’s being relayed to you. Active listening aims to solve this problem. Whether you’re in a classroom, a business setting, or a relationship, failing to hear 75% what’s said to you is a recipe for disaster. According to an often-referenced article from the University of Missouri, 45% of communication is listening, and yet the average person remembers only half to a quarter of the information they hear. Still, we’ve all been guilty of mental multitasking at some point. It’s annoying and disrespectful, especially when the topic is particularly important or sensitive. We’ve all been in conversations where we suspected that the other person wasn’t really paying attention.
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