Effective Listening

Written By Colēgia

All of us can benefit from better communication skills and one of the most important of these is our ability to listen. It takes a concentrated effort to do this since we need to give it the attention it deserves. Let's see how we can be a more effective listener with a few changes to our approach.

Understand Rather Than Argue

One of the biggest mistakes that we might encounter when talking with someone is feeling that we need to be right when it comes to a discussion. The problem with this is that we let our ego try to cloud our judgment since we may associate being right with our identity. It's healthy to recognize that this isn't the case since our thoughts can be ever-changing in response to new information. Our views aren't synonymous with who we are but rather a reflection of the experiences we've had. This can make it much easier to approach others from a place of understanding which can help us focus on empathy rather than the things that make us different. Debating different viewpoints is important for the sake of trying to move past harmful ideologies but it needs to be done from a place of respect if we have any hope of finding new perspectives.

“One of the biggest mistakes that we might encounter when talking with someone is feeling that we need to be right when it comes to a discussion.”

Actively Listen

When we take the time to listen to someone there might be a few things going through our mind. For one we might not feel engaged. This can be the result of many things. We might feel as if someone isn't explaining themselves in a manner that feels like we should listen, to begin with. It could also be because we simply aren't being present in the conversation. One method that can help with this is learning how to actively listen to someone else. The simple version of this is that we are engaging with what they're saying by paraphrasing to make sure we're on the same page. It can also be a matter of asking more questions about a topic so we can follow along better. Speaking up allows us to express ourselves in a manner that shows that we care while still putting an emphasis on listening.

“One method that can help with this is learning how to actively listen to someone else.”

Be Patient

Another common hurdle we need to move past is rushing to get to our part in a conversation. The issue with this is that it can feel dismissive when talking with someone since it shows that we value what we say more than what they do. Everyone wants to feel heard and it's important that both sides mutually put in the effort to do so. We can do this by being patient and waiting for an appropriate moment to jump into the conversation. The important thing about communication is that it's a dialogue and the flow of it is ever-changing. With that in mind, there are times when both ourselves and others need to finish their thoughts which is all the more reason to slow down and work alongside the flow of conversation.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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