Listening is truly an art. Just as you expect the other person to listen to you when you speak, it is important to recognize that the other person expects you to listen when he or she talks. It is important to not only listen but also be an ‘active’ listener. An article in changingminds.org talks about active listening and how active listening can build relationships between the speaker and the listener.
According to the article, the following are some techniques that can be used to suggest that you are actively listening:
1) Words and actions: You can encourage the person who is speaking though your encouraging words and gestures. Saying ‘yes’ or ‘right’ when the person is speaking suggests that you agree with the person and are encouraging him or her to carry on speaking. Nodding and raising your eyebrows in anticipation also help in conveying the message that you are paying attention.
2) Complete listening: The article quotes Rogers and Farson (1979) in describing active listening as ‘an important way to bring about changes in people’. According to Rogers and Farson, there are 3 aspects to complete listening:
a) Be a ‘content’ listener and an ‘emotional’ listener.
b) Understand the emotions of the speaker and empathize with him or her.
c) Actively observe verbal and non-verbal cues.
3) Paraphrasing: When you summarize what the speaker has said in a few words of your own, you give the impression that you were ‘actively’ listening.
Site link: http://www.changingminds.org/
Article link: http://changingminds.org/techniques/listening/active_listening.htm
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