EFFECTIVE LISTENING SKILLS GIVE THE SPEAKER YOUR FULL ATTENTION, AND AVOID DISTRACTIONS- EFFECTIVE LISTENING CAN BE LEARNED AND IMPROVES WITH PRACTICE

 

EFFECTIVE LISTENING SKILLS GIVE THE SPEAKER YOUR FULL ATTENTION, AND AVOID DISTRACTIONS- EFFECTIVE LISTENING CAN BE LEARNED AND IMPROVES WITH PRACTICE

 

Paying attention: Give the speaker your full attention, and avoid distractions. 

Showing you're listening: Use body language to convey that you're listening, such as eye contact, nodding, and smiling. 

Asking questions: Ask open-ended questions to learn more, and specific questions to get more details. 

Summarizing: Paraphrase or summarize what the speaker said to show you understand. 

Being non-judgmental: Avoid interrupting, and don't offer your opinion or solutions. 

Being patient: Allow the speaker to finish, and don't rush to form conclusions. 

Being open-minded: Consider different perspectives, and try to understand the speaker's thoughts and feelings. 

Responding appropriately: Be candid and honest in your response, and avoid putting the speaker down. 

How do I listen effectively?

1. Prepare Be aware of your own feelings and needs. Are you able to shut out distractions and focus on what this person is about to say?

2. Listen and Clarify Listen to the speaker’s perspective, feelings and wants. If you don’t feel as if you’ve clearly understood what they are saying ask for clarification or more information. Helpful phrases are “I’d just like to check that I’ve understood what you said correctly…” “Just let me run this past you…”

3. Acknowledge Communicate to the speaker that you’ve heard their point of view, for example: “I can hear that you are feeling very stressed at the moment.” “You seem to be very worried about…”

4. Your posture Make sure your posture indicates interest in what the person is saying. This can be done by facing the person, at an appropriate distance. Having relaxed arms and legs rather than crossing or folding arms or legs “like a barrier” helps.

5. Appropriate body motion Move in a synchronized way with the speaker. A very rigid, still position or too much fidgeting is distracting and off-putting.

6. Eye contact Respect cultural difference. For Maori, Pacific Islanders and some other groups, direct eye contact may be considered offensive or aggressive. Be led by the speakers’ comfort with eye contact. Effective eye contact usually consists of “bursts” of eye contact with movement to other parts of the person’s face or hands and looking away.

7. Suitable environment Make sure the environment is welcoming – avoid physical barriers like desks in the way.