Active Listening...

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There’s a Reason We Have 2 Ears and 1 Mouth!

Active listening is much more than being silent while the other person speaks. The best listeners periodically ask questions that promote discovery and insight that gently challenge old assumptions but do so in a constructive way.

Active listening is a cooperative conversation. Conversation flows smoothly with neither party becoming defensive. Poor listeners are usually competitive, pointing out errors in reasoning or logic and turning the topic of interest into their own.

Here are some key points to help with active listening:

  • The listener creates a safe environment in which difficult, complex, or emotional issues can be discussed.

  • The listener clears away distractions like phones, laptops, focusing the attention on the other person and making appropriate eye contact (60% of the time).  This behaviour not only affects how you are perceived as the listener; it immediately influences the listener’s own attitudes and feelings.  Acting the part changes how you feel inside.  This in turn makes you a better listener.

  • The listener seeks to understand the substance of what the other person is saying.  They capture ideas, ask questions and restate issues to confirm that their understanding is correct.

  • The listener observes non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, perspiration, respiration rates, gestures, posture, and numerous other subtle body language signals. It is estimated that 80% of what we communicate comes from these signals. It sounds strange but you listen with your eyes as well as your ears.

  • The listener increasingly understands the other person’s emotions and feelings about the topic at hand and identifies and acknowledges them. The listener empathizes with and validates those feelings in a supportive and nonjudgmental way.

Active listening includes interactions that build up a person’s self esteem. The best listener makes the conversation a positive experience for the other party.

Contact me to learn more about Active Listening and how Simply Advanced can provide your leaders with tools and methods to help them continue to grow.