2. Eye Contact
Demonstrate to the speaker that you are interested in what they have to say and that you are listening to them by making eye contact. Keep in mind that continued eye contact can be intimidating. Use your best judgement to guide the amount of eye contact to use depending on the speaker and the situation.
4. Distractions
- Avoid checking your cell phone or watch.
- Turn off or tune out anything that can cause distractions (i.e. computer, television, radio, etc.).
- Do not fidget. Tapping your foot, pen, or other item, doodling, or engaging in any other non-related activity can be interpreted as boredom, disinterest, or a signal to hurry the speaker.
5. Mirroring
This is done by automatically mirroring the facial expression of the speaker. This allows you to demonstrate your sympathy or empathy in a given situation.
Mirroring may take practice as it needs to be automatic and reflective to seem genuine. If you have to think about it too much it can be seen as insincere or fake.
You may be thinking, "Anyone can use those non-verbal active listening strategies and still not listen to what is being said!" That is absolutely correct. The non-verbal signs are all about making the speaker feel heard and understood. They also encourage the speaker to feel more comfortable sharing with you.
Watch this short video and write down each of the tips presented in the video in a column.
Review your list of tips and place a star by each of the tips that you have used when listening. For any tips that you did not star, write an example of how you can use the tip in future conversations.
- Positive reinforcement- Say words such as 'Oh' or 'I see' to demonstrate understanding. However, use them sparingly as they can be distracting if overused.
- Remembering- Pay full attention so that you can remember key details of the idea, concept, or conversation.
- Questioning- Ask questions based on key details that you have remembered so far. This encourages the speaker to share more information.
- Reflection- Restate words or paraphrase what was said in your own words. This demonstrates your understanding of what was said.
- Clarification-Ask open ended questions such as who, what, when, why, and where. Avoid questions that can be answered with yes or no.
- Summarize- At the end of the conversation you may want to summarize the information provided by the speaker to ensure you have an accurate understanding.
Why is active listening important in the workplace?
Whether you’re seeking a new job, going for a promotion or working to improve in your current role, improving your active listening skills will help you succeed. Much like critical thinking and conflict resolution, this career skill will help increase your value as an employee.
Here are several benefits of being an active listener:
1. It helps you build connections.
Active listening helps others feel comfortable sharing information with you. When you demonstrate your ability to sincerely listen to what others have to say, people will be more interested in communicating with you on a regular basis. This can help open up opportunities to collaborate with others, get work done quickly or start new projects. All of these things can help lead you to success in your career.
2. It helps you build trust.
When people know they can speak freely to you without interruptions, judgment or unwelcome interjections, they’ll be more likely to confide in you. This is especially helpful when meeting a new customer or business contact with whom you want to develop a long-term working relationship.
4. It helps you increase your knowledge and understanding of various topics.
Great employees are always striving to learn something new and grow their knowledge base. Because active listening helps you retain information, it will also help you better understand new topics and remember what you’ve learned so you can apply it in the future.
5. It helps you avoid missing critical information.
Because active listeners are highly engaged with the speaker, they’re able to recall specific details. This is especially important when the speaker is providing instructions, training you on a new process or delivering a message you’re responsible for passing along to others.
It is important to consider the who, what, when, where, why, and how of each conversation to help you determine the appropriate strategies to use. For example, you may be listening to learn, listening to evaluate, or listening for empathy (to understand feelings and emotions) each of these would require a different mixture of strategies to be effective.
Reflection
- How can you use what you have learned to improve your relationships?
- How can you use active listening to improve your grades?
- How can active listening make you a better employee?
- Share what you have learned with a friend or family member.
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