Short, positive statements will help the speaker feel more comfortable and show you’re engaged and able to process the information they’re providing. Which of these projects is the most time-consuming?” 4. Ask specific probing questionsĪsk direct questions that guide the reader to provide more details about the information they’ve shared or narrow down a broad subject or topic.Įxample: “Tell me more about your current workload. What changes would you want to make to the process over the next six months?” 3. Make sure these questions cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”Įxample: “You’re right-the onboarding procedure could use some updating. Ask open-ended questionsĪsk questions that show you’ve gathered the essence of what they’ve shared, and guide them into sharing additional information. This will also give the speaker an opportunity to clarify vague information or expand their message.Įxample: “So what you’re saying is, your current content management system no longer meets your team’s technical needs because it doesn’t support large video files.” 2.
Summarize the main point(s) of the message the speaker shared to show you fully understand their meaning. Here are a variety of active listening exercises you can use to help improve your interpersonal communication skills: Verbal active listening skills 1. The more you use these techniques, the more natural they’ll feel.
11 active listening skills to practiceĪctive listening takes practice to improve and maintain. This is especially important when the speaker is proving instructions, training you on a new process or delivering a message you’re responsible for passing along to others. Avoid missing critical informationīecause active listeners are highly engaged with the speaker, they’re able to recall specific details. 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. Great employees are always striving to learn something new and grow their knowledge base. Increase your understanding of various topics The more quickly you’re able to spot these issues, the sooner you can find a solution or create a plan to address them. Identify and solve problemsĪctively listening to others will help you detect challenges and difficulties others are facing, or problems within projects. This is especially helpful when meeting a new customer or business contact with whom you want to develop a long-term working relationship. When people know they can speak freely to you without interruptions, judgment or unwelcome interjections, they’ll be more likely to confide in you. All of these things can help lead you to success in your career. This can help open up opportunities to collaborate with others, get work done quickly or start new projects. 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. Much like critical thinking and conflict resolution, this soft skill will help increase your value as an employee.īeing an active listener can help you accomplish the following: Build connectionsĪctive listening helps others feel comfortable sharing information with you. Whether you’re seeking a new job opportunity, striving to earn a promotion or working to improve in your current role, improving your active listening skills will help you succeed.
Related: Soft Skills: Definitions and Top Examples Why is active listening important in the workplace? Instead of thinking about and mentally rehearsing what you might say when the speaker is done, an active listener carefully considers the speaker’s words and commits the information to memory. This not only supports your ability to focus, but also helps ensure the speaker can see that you are focused and engaged.
Unlike passive listening, which is the act of hearing a speaker without retaining their message, this highly valued interpersonal communication skill ensures you’re able to engage and later recall specific details without needing information repeated.Īctive listeners use verbal and non-verbal techniques to show and keep their attention on the speaker. Related: 10 Best Skills To Include on a Resume What is active listening?Īctive listening is the ability to focus completely on a speaker, understand their message, comprehend the information and respond thoughtfully. In this article, we discuss active listening skills, why they’re important and how you can improve your active listening skills. Developing this soft skill will help you build and maintain relationships,solve problems, improve processes and retain information, such as instructions, procedures and expectations. One of the most critical skills in effective communication is active listening.
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