Improving an important work skill – how to be a better active listener

Active listening is a skill which is essential for being successful at work. It involves not just hearing a message being delivered, but making a conscious effort to concentrate on what is being conveyed using all your senses and showing that you understand the intent of the message. It is based on the premise that communication is a two-way street – to be effective it needs someone to deliver a message and another person to receive it. Overall, the aim of active listening is to absorb as much information as possible before taking action.

In today’s 21^st century world where there are plenty of distractions from technology, people are time poor and the pace of life is fast, sometimes active listening can fall by the wayside.

Poor listening can lead to confusion, misunderstandings and mistakes, all of which can cost a business time and money. On the other hand, strong active listening skills in a workplace can lead to a number of benefits, such as greater accuracy, improved understanding, better working relationships, enhanced collaboration and increased productivity. As a result, being an active listener is an important communication skill and is one that is highly valued by employers.

To improve your active listening skills, Skillset recommends the following actions:

1. Give the speaker your full attention

The first step to being a better active listener is to make sure you are not preoccupied with doing something else, and you are focused on what the speaker is saying. Therefore, put away distractions (such as your mobile phone), refrain from fidgeting, maintain eye contact with the speaker, and concentrate on what they are saying.

Also pay attention to how the message is being delivered by the speaker. Consider their tone of voice, their body language, and what are they expressing with their hands. All of this information is part of the message being communicated and is important to take note of.

2. Show that you are understanding the message through non-verbal cues

One of the most essential parts of active listening is demonstrating you are receiving the message that is being delivered. To do this, you can use non-verbal cues. Some examples are:

• Maintaining eye contact
• Nodding
• Leaning in
• Smiling
• Positive body language and facial expressions.

These non-verbal cues let the speaker know you are engaged in what they are saying.

3. Wait for the speaker to finish before asking questions

For active listening to be successful, it is necessary to wait for the speaker to complete what they are saying before jumping in and asking questions. This requires patience and time – sometimes these are in short supply in our 21^st century world!

Waiting until the speaker has finished ensures you will receive the entire message. So, maintain focus, avoid putting together a response in your head whilst the speaker is still talking and try not to interrupt. Butting in and interjecting can restrict the message the speaker is trying to communicate and can also inadvertently convey you aren’t interested in what the speaker is saying.

4. Ask open-ended questions

If something is unclear or you feel more detail is required, don’t be afraid to ask the speaker questions at an appropriate time. The best type of questions to ask are open-ended questions. These are questions that don’t elicit a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response and which give the speaker the opportunity to provide further information.

Examples of open-ended questions are:

“Can you provide some more information about that?”

“How did you make that decision?”

“Why do you think that is the best course of action?”

These type of questions allow you to probe deeper and gain insights into the speaker’s thinking. Ultimately, this type of questioning will increase your understanding.

5. Summarise what you have heard

At the end of the conversation, a valuable way of clarifying your understanding of the message is to sum up what the speaker has said. Doing this confirms to the speaker that you have taken in and understood the information conveyed. It doesn’t have to be word for word – it just needs to focus on the intent of the message. Summarising also gives the speaker the opportunity to further explain and emphasise key points of their message.

Active listening is a skill that can be learned and enhanced over time. To assess your current listening skills, try this online test from Mind Tools.