Active listening

Effective communication is vital in building and maintaining relationships. A key skill in being a good communicator is active listening. There’s more to being a good listener than hearing the words another person says. For effective communicators, listening is an active process, rather than a passive one. An active listener is a participant in a conversation—not just an audience.

The 3 steps involved in active listening:

1.   Show that you are listening

Putting away distractions when we are talking to someone shows that we care about what that person is saying. When we are watching TV, using our phone or doing other things while listening it tells the speaker that their words are not important. Next time you are talking to someone, put away all distractions so that you can focus on the conversation and help the speaker feel heard and important.

2.   Encourage input

Use open ended questions to encourage more in-depth responses. By using this style of questioning you are telling the speaker that you want to learn more and that you are interested in what they are saying. Closed ended questions that give one-word responses, shut down conversation and don’t allow room for discussion.

3.   Strive to understand

Active listening involves paying attention to body language, tone of voice and the type of language used. Be present, try to focus on what the person is saying rather than thinking ahead to how you would like to respond. It is also important that you are listening with an open mind. You may not necessarily agree with what the speaker is saying, but it not necessary for you to agree, the aim is to understand the speaker’s point of view. Therefore, you should avoid making judgement and forming opinions before you fully understand their perspective.

If you find you would like some extra support or information, please feel free to contact us on 8838-8687 or book an appointment online and come in to see one of our friendly Psychologists.