How Do You Become A Better Listener?

"Are you a good listener?" Most people would answer "Yes!" Then, some would follow it up with, "Sorry, can you repeat that?"

Everyone wants to be good listeners, but it can be challenging with a lot of distractions. Though, becoming a good listener is one of those skills you should always work on and one that will always pay off for you in your private life and your career.

If you are looking to improve your listening skills, try these tips:

1. Make listening your priority.

You will never be a good listener if you don't work on it. It is not about hearing someone; it is about listening. When a colleague begins speaking, you stop writing an email or texting.

Take a deep breath so you can relax your body language and pay attention to what the person is saying to you. It would be best if you do this every time. Listening is like learning to ride a bicycle. It takes some time to get used to, but with constant practise, it will be effortless.

Some people find it hard to focus on what another person is saying.

2. Don't interrupt.

It is nearly impossible for many people, but interrupting people is like raising a red flag that says "I'm not listening!"

3. Don't hijack other people's sentence.

You might not mean to be rude when you finish a friend's sentence; you're a bit excited and want to join the conversation. But since can't read minds, you're never 100% sure what someone is going to say to you.

So, let the person finish their sentence without your input. Besides, it isn't polite and grabs the conversation away from the speaker.

Stop yourself from interrupting a coworker when they're talking.

4. Tune in.

As mentioned earlier, you need to pay attention to the other person in a conversation.

People who are seen as very charismatic are known for completely focusing on whoever is speaking to them. To these people, it seems as if nobody else exists. You should stop getting distracted by your phone and focus on what the person is saying.

5. Repeat. To become a better listener, summarise what you have heard when the person is done speaking to you. This way, you will make sure that you listened to the information clearly and understand the context.

It is a step that is critical to ensuring your skills develop so that you're genuinely on the road to becoming a good listener.

These are five simple tips to be a better listener. Now, keep in mind, these tips might be simple, but it does not mean they're easy to follow. It would be best if you practise regularly because listening is a skill, after all.

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Source: On The Job