How to Become a Better Listener
5 Easy Steps
Becoming a better listener is something we would all love to be able to do. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to listen attentively and fully engage with someone speaking to us. With so many distractions in our modern world, it’s challenging to give someone our undivided attention. In this blog post, we will explore how you can become a better listener by following these 5 simple steps.
Ask questions
The first step in any conversation is to ask questions. It opens up the conversation and gives the other person the chance to share their thoughts with you. In a work context, asking questions can help to build a relationship, enhance your reputation as a good listener, and make you more effective at your job. If you don’t ask questions when having a conversation with a colleague, they might feel that you’re not interested in what they have to say. Or they might feel that you’re bored or impatient with them.
Don’t interrupt
This might seem like an obvious point, but we all interrupt each other at some point. Interrupting can be particularly dangerous when you’re in a meeting or talking to someone one-on-one. The best way to avoid interrupting someone is to prepare what you want to say and keep it at the back of your mind. You should also avoid finishing other people’s sentences. Although this might be tempting if you want your idea to be heard, it can be very rude. You can either rephrase what you’re saying in a way that doesn’t interrupt the other person, or wait until they’ve finished speaking and then re-initiate the conversation.
Focus on the speaker and not yourself
When you’re thinking about what you’re going to say next, or how you’re going to respond to what the other person is saying, you’re not paying attention to them. Instead, you should focus all your attention on the speaker. If you find yourself thinking about what you want to say next, try to get your thoughts back on track by shifting your focus from yourself to what the speaker is saying. It’s important to remember that when you’re listening to someone else, you’re not supposed to say anything. You’re supposed to be fully engaged with that person and their words.
Be an active listener
The best way to become a better listener is to actively engage with the person who is speaking to you. This means that you’re not just sitting there waiting for them to finish. Instead, you’re actively listening to them without thinking about what you’re going to say in response. You can become an active listener by making occasional comments and using non-verbal communication such as nodding and smiling. You can also create a positive environment in which people feel comfortable speaking with you by being genuine and showing genuine interest in what they have to say.
Sum up and show that you’ve listened
To show that you’ve listened to what someone has been saying, you can summarize what’s been said. This can be particularly useful when two people are speaking to each other and you want to let them know that you’ve followed their conversation. You might also be able to summarize what has been said by reflecting on what you’ve heard and how you’ve felt about it. This will show that you’re actively listening to the other person.
Conclusion
Being a good listener is important for many reasons. It shows the other person that they are valued and that you are interested in what they have to say. It also allows you to fully engage with others and helps you to understand their situation better. In this blog post, we explored how you can become a better listener by following five simple steps. If you want to be a better listener, then you have to make sure you are present, check your ego at the door, and focus on the speaker’s words and behavior.
The author of this article is a therapist from the Sensera app. Sensera is a daily 10-minute self-therapy app. It’ll help you to cope with various mental problems (anxiety, self-esteem, relationship issues). Feel better with CBT audio sessions and exercises. Download now to become happier!
