Essential Tips For Being A Good Listener

Attentive listening is an important part of being a good manager but it is often overlooked or simply misunderstood. In this video, I talk about the importance of being a good listener and how to truly hear what someone else is saying.

When it comes to face-to-face interactions, listening means picking up on both verbal and non-verbal cues. Facial expression, gestures, and posture all express valuable information that complements what a person is saying. When you truly listen to someone, you’ll take all of these things into account.

Of course, the words a person is saying are also important and this is where attentive listening can help you. When having a conversation, don’t try to plan out what you’re going to say next while the other person is still talking. It’s natural that you’ll want to think about forming your own statements, but you need to wait until you’ve fully heard what the other person has to say.

Being a good listener can also apply to written exchanges. In this case, rereading an email or letter can be useful in that it will give you the opportunity to fully digest what is being shared. Writing is a slower form of communication than speaking and thus you should take advantage of your ability to review anything that you don’t fully understand on the first pass.

If you can truly listen to someone, it not only allows for clear communication, it also shows a certain level of respect. Attentive listening allows you to connect with the speaker while showing that you care enough to pay attention.

Being a good listener does not have to be a struggle. Use these tips when interacting with others and it will make a real difference in your workplace.

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