What was that, you were saying?

If you are unfamiliar with the term, active listening involves being fully 'present' when someone is communicating with you. It means avoiding distractions and focusing intently on what is being said.

I recall instances where I was not entirely engaged in meetings. It is easier to become distracted in a group setting than in a one-on-one conversation, but it can happen in both scenarios. We often get sidetracked by our own thoughts, such as pondering over a problem while supposedly listening to someone on another matter, or by messages on our phone or computer during a conversation.

Is this significant? In a word – Yes!

The benefits of developing this skill include:

· Building trust

· Identifying issues early

· Addressing the core problem

· Objectively evaluating facts

· Establishing a continuous improvement loop

When we are not fully engaged in listening, the person speaking perceives this as a lack of interest, leading them to believe that their content is unimportant or uninteresting. Consequently, they may share less and shorten the conversation. This limitation of information flow results in only superficial understanding of the actual issues, causing problems to escalate when they could have been addressed earlier through thorough investigation and exploration. Essentially, poor listening wastes time and resources.

To develop this skill, consider the following strategies during conversations:

· Summarize your understanding: Paraphrase what the speaker has conveyed, for example, "So, you are saying this project is already over budget?"

· Ask clarifying questions: This demonstrates your interest and aids comprehension, such as, "Which aspects of the project are affecting the budget?"

· Match pace: Align your speaking pace with that of the other person. If they speak calmly, mirror their pace; if they speak quickly, adjust accordingly.

· Consider tone: Maintain a calm and neutral tone to encourage continued sharing. An aggressive tone may inhibit the speaker due to concerns about your response.

· Be mindful of body language: Face the person or angle towards them and maintain eye contact. Facing away or looking elsewhere signals a desire to leave.

· Avoid interrupting: Allow the speaker to finish their thoughts. Interrupting to provide your insights only hinders the flow of information and may cause you to miss critical details.

Final Thoughts

By implementing these techniques, we can cultivate effective active listening skills, thereby improving communication and outcomes within our teams and organizations.