How are your Listening Skills?
October 29th, 2007A few tips to becoming a skilled listener.
It’s a skill so many talk about, but so few actually have. How well do you listen? Are you actively digesting the information, or are you instead already conjuring up a response? Do you often forget something (like a name) right after someone tells you? If so, try some of these tips to improve your listening skills.
1. Put forth effort in processing the information someone is sharing with you. Listening takes energy, whereas hearing does not. Don’t yet begin creating a response or pondering the ramifications; you should be focusing intently on the speaker.
2. Allow the speaker to share their complete thought – do not interrupt them. Interrupting prevents you from receiving the complete picture the speaker is trying to paint. This not only can cause miscommunication, but can also make the speaker angry. No one likes getting interrupted.
3. Repeat back what you heard when possible. This ensures you have properly heard and processed the message from the speaker. Once you have confirmed you properly interpreted the speaker, then you can begin formulating your response.
4. Do not perform other tasks while listening. Performing other tasks will steal the energy you should be putting towards listening. Additionally, it is disrespectful to treat a speaker in such a way, especially when your mind wanders too far and you realize they just asked you a question.
I’ll repeat this one again since it is so important – and so common. DO NOT begin formulating a response until AFTER the speaker is done. This prevents you from getting their full message and also, during emotional conversations, helps you be more level-headed.
Mastering these few tips will make you a much better listener. The road to becoming a skilled active listener is not easy, but with consistent effort and determination you can dramatically improve your ability.
November 4th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Your lessons have become my self improvement bible!
Thank You!!
arthur
November 19th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
In answer to your question,”How are your listening skills?”,
What?
P.S., My self improvement is not dependent on what you write.
Doug
November 22nd, 2007 at 6:20 am
I am a customer service representative for a major satellite tv company, and I really wish my employer would take a look at this article. Maybe we could change the way we take care of our customers! I’ve always been irritated by the requirement set forth by my employer that we start notating the customer’s account while the customer is speaking. I prefer to listen to the customer first, determine the best way to solve the problem, then notate the account after the call ends. How can I effectively help my customer if I’m busy typing while he or she is trying to tell me something?
By the way, Doug, I can dig the fact that your self improvement is not dependent on what anyone writes, but jeez! Lighten up, willya? The writer of this article is just trying to help people, what’s wrong with that?