How to Be a Good Listener
Listening is a skill that we usually don’t pay much attention to, but being a good listener is much more important that we imagine. If you take good listening skills for granted, then you might risk losing a lot of things in your career and professional life.
Good listening skills become crucial when it comes to professional and social life. When you show to the person speaking that you are interested in listening to him/her, you win them over as it gives them a feeling of importance.
Instructions
-
1
Remove all distractions
Get yourself ready to listen to the speaker by removing things that may cause distraction during the conversation. Switch off your cell phone if you are having a conversation with your boss or superiors. At home, if you have a TV turned on, turn it off abruptly to show that you are not paying attention to things other than the person talking to you.
Removing all sorts of distractions becomes necessary when you arrange a talk with someone and the same principle should be followed for family members and friends as well. -
2
Don’t interrupt and be all ears
While the person is talking to you, the best thing you can do is to keep quiet and listen to him/her with patience. Being a good listener does not mean that you should not discuss and share your views, but letting the speaker finish his/her talk is what makes a sensible listener. -
3
Make an eye contact
Make an eye contact with the person talking to you. If you look away every now and then during a conversation, it will leave an impression that you are not paying attention to what the speaker is saying. Often times, the discussion started by speaker may not be of great importance to you, but it may be very important to the speaker, meaning your lack of interest in the talk can irritate the person talking. -
4
Stick to the subject at hand
Do not digress from the ongoing subject as it may make a negative impression. The subject at hand should not be changed until you see the speaker is no longer willing to carry on the talk. Switching subjects without concluding the talk is the worst thing you can do as it discourages the person speaking to you. -
5
Chip in by asking questions
Ask questions to show that you are paying attention to the speaker. If you are letting a person talk without taking part in it, you may be discouraging for him/her. The speaker(s) expects you to listen to them and make sure that you agree or disagree with them. Question should however always be reserved for the end, until or unless the person talking invites you to do otherwise.
