Ten Tips for Better Listening
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The document presents ten key strategies for improving listening skills, emphasizing the importance of active engagement and focus on others. It highlights the need for eye contact, avoiding interruptions, paraphrasing what is heard, and asking questions to enhance understanding. Consistent practice and mindfulness in listening are essential for developing effective communication habits.
Ten Tips for Better Listening
- 2. ENGAGE To listen is an effort, and just to hear is no merit. A duck hears also. Igor Stravinsky Recognize listening is work! To do it well, you need to focus on others and not yourself.
- 3. STOP TALKING A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something. Wilson Mizner Be quiet. Having a hard time with this? Touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue. Photo: Kristy Hall
- 4. PUT THE PHONE DOWN It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen. Oliver Wendell Holmes Texting while others are talking is distracting and RUDE. Period. Don’t do it.
- 5. LOOK PEOPLE IN THE EYE I like to listen. I have learnt a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen. Ernest Hemingway Practice good eye contact. But remember, more than 20 seconds at a time is “death- stare” territory.
- 6. DON’T INTERRUPT Listen. Do not have an opinion while you listen because frankly, your opinion doesn't hold much water outside of Your Universe. Just listen. Listen until their brain has been twisted like a dripping towel and what they have to say is all over the floor. Hugh Elliott Unless the other person’s hair is on fire, let him finish speaking. Photo: Sean Loyless
- 7. PARAPHRASE WHAT YOU HEAR I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. Robert McCloskey Repeat what others say. Doing so shows interest and confirms understanding. Photo: Thomas Hawk
- 8. A FACE IS WORTH 1000 WORDS Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. Leo Buscaglia Use appropriate facial expressions. Nods, smiles, and similar gestures show you are paying attention.
- 9. ASK QUESTIONS If you spend more time asking appropriate questions rather than giving answers or opinions, your listening skills will increase. Brian Koslow Stay engaged by asking: What? Where? When? Who? Why? How? Photo: Orin Zebest
- 10. WAIT YOUR TURN The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting. Fran Lebowitz Be fully engaged in the moment. Do your best to be present rather than focused on what you will say next.
- 11. PRACTICE Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking. Bernard Baruch Remember good habits develop from consistent practice. Start each day committed to better listening.