Effective listening

An effective communicator listens as much as s/he talks. S/he therefore achieves a high degree of accuracy in receiving and interpreting messages transmitted by others. This means that s/he can gain a good understanding of people and respond to them effectively and appropriately.

You can improve your effectiveness as a listener by developing the techniques of active listening. This is more than simply 'hearing' (which is a physiological response to sound). Active listening involves giving meaning to what is heard and making sense of what the other person is trying to communicate.

As an active listener, you need to pay attention to the speaker's verbal and non-verbal communication, and the context in which the communication takes place. You should:

• stay alert
  
  
• concentrate on the speaker, setting aside your own emotions or desire to speak (if you're afraid of forgetting an idea, jot it down quickly so that you can continue listening)
  
  
• listen for underlying themes, linked ideas, etc
  
  
• link what you hear to what you already know
  
  
• listen for feelings
  
  
• aim to develop empathy (a sense of what it's like to be the speaker - how they think, feel and see the world)
  
  
• suspend judgement - don't take sides or have preconceived ideas or prejudices
  
  
• avoid interrupting
  
  
• make conscious attempts to check that your understanding is correct.

For further guidance, see:

• Working in a group: more on active listening