Six Tips to Become a Better Listener
Let’s face it: Being a good listener is not as easy as it sounds. We’ve all drifted off into our own thoughts when we’re supposed to be paying attention to what someone else is saying. Maybe it’s because the subject matter is boring or the person is speaking in a monotone; maybe we’re distracted by some personal matter that worries us. Whatever it is, these tips can help improve your listening skills:
1. Listen more than you talk.
2. Stay focused on what the other person is saying—not on what you’re going to say next. Don’t plan a story you want to tell while the person is still talking.
3. Never finish another person’s sentences.
4. Resist the urge to dominate the conversation. (Review tip No. 1.)
5. Give appropriate feedback, but don’t interrupt.
6. Occasionally mirror back short summations of what the other person is saying to keep your mind from moving on to other subjects and to assure the other person that you’ve understood what he or she has been saying.
This entry was posted on September 8, 2008 at 4:35 pm and is filed under Educational with tags listening skills, tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
September 9, 2008 at 8:12 am
Those are good tips, but what if the subject matter & the person are both so boring that it’s a fight just to stay awake? Also, what if you just don’t like the person and can’t stand listening to them?