

First, listen to what they are saying at face value and then begin to reflect on what they shared afterward.

Avoid judgment: Until they are finished speaking, avoid drawing conclusions or judgments.Using these non-verbal cues with paraphrasing, asking thoughtful questions, and giving positive encouragement is how you can be a respectful listener. Likewise, being mindful of your posture conveys a lot about your listening level. A combination of smiling, head nods, and eye contact may give them the affirmation they need to feel confident as they talk. Naturally using the verbal and non-verbal cues discussed earlier can make the speaker feel important and respected. You may find that they will eventually address many of the questions or concerns you were planning to bring up anyway. Rather than preparing your response, live in the present so you can absorb everything they are sharing.
#DEFINITION OF LISTENING HOW TO#
This may take a bit of practice, but learning how to turn off your own thoughts and solely focus on what the speaker is saying is a big part of being a good listener. By following these steps, you can improve your listening skills: It’s when the listener feels so much sympathy or empathy that they begin to automatically reflect the body language and facial expressions of the speaker.Īctive listening at work can help you get to know your colleagues better and show others that you care about their thoughts and opinions. Mirroring: This a non-verbal cue you may not even be aware of when you are fully focused on a conversation.Likewise, you are staying still and not fidgeting. This can show that you are invested in this conversation rather than looking for a way out. If you are standing, keep your body and feet pointed toward the speaker instead of facing away. Posture: Sitting up straight and leaning slightly forward is how someone engaged in a conversation looks.

When using head nods, make it subtle and not overly noticeable.

Oftentimes it is best to use non-verbal cues as they are speaking so you don’t interrupt their train of thought. ‘Mhm,’ ‘yes,’ and ‘very good’ can be helpful when you use them sparingly. Positive encouragement: As someone is speaking, you can use subtle words or phrases to encourage them to continue.When asking questions, think about what they just said in order to avoid questions that were already answered. Asking thoughtful questions: These are questions that confirm or clarify what the speaker is saying or add to the conversation.Rather than giving a verbatim summary, highlight a few of their main points. Paraphrasing: Summarizing what the speaker just said shows them that you comprehend.Here are a few verbal signs of active listening: These are cues that show the speaker that you understanding what they are saying. There are both verbal and non-verbal signs of active listening.
