Last week I brought up the subject of active-listening. By definition it is the way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding.If you practice active listening you will begin to see improved results in your relationships, productivity, team work, collaboration and community. But here is the thing, it is a learned habit. The good news is you can learn and practice it. The bad news is that few people use active listening, so it is hard to go against the flow and create a new habit. Here are some tips to get started:

Attitude (Why)

• Think of the relationships you have right now and what would make them better.
• What outcomes will come about by improved relationships and understandings?
• How will you feel when you connect better with those around you?
  
  During Conversations (How)
• Paraphrase what is being said.
• Ask open-ended questions to get a deeper meaning.
• Ask specific probing questions to get the details.
• Use short verbal affirmations to connect with the person.
• Display empathy during the conversation.
• Share similar experiences to show you understand but don’t take over the conversation.
• Recall previously shared information from past conversations.
• Nod, smile, avoid distracting movements and maintain eye contact.
• 
  After Conversations (Evaluate)
• Do an internal debrief after the conversation and rate yourself on how you performed.
• Follow up on previous conversations as appropriate,
• Keep any commitments you may have made in the conversation.
• Journalize any important facts you may need in the future to continue building the relationship.

In summary, if you have not been practicing active listening, try it. Know that it is a skill that must be developed with practice. The next time you have an opportunity for a meaningful conversation, try some of the tips above and observe the change in what comes out of the conversations you are having and ultimately the results of the relationships. 


 Did you hear me?