Effective listening involves both listening and speaking. It is a combination of the two that is the basis of communication. The art of effective listening is to become a responsive listener, a person who is keen on the other person's needs and ideas. On the other hand, when you are talking, your main intention is to express your thoughts in a clear and audible voice so that the listeners can understand you. Here are some simple tips on how to listen effectively:
A. To master effective listening skills, you need to first develop your capability to be a responsive listener. This is a skill that can be developed through self-improvement programs and constant practice. You can practice being a responsive listener by asking questions pertaining to a particular topic that you have not heard before and keeping your focus on the speaker. If you are in front of an audience, make eye contact with them and maintain a polite smile. This will show that you are interested in what they are saying and are taking time to hear what they are saying.
B. To listen effectively, it is essential that you gain respect from others. If you want others to listen to you, then you need to treat them respectfully throughout the conversation. Show your appreciation, ask questions related to their statements and when you respond to their statements, do it in a way that shows respect towards them.
C. Active listening skills is also a part of effective listening skills. In order to really get someone's point, you should listen fully and try to take in everything that he or she is saying. Do not shut down or interrupt the speaker. Maintain open communication lines when it is your turn to speak.
D. Being an effective leader entails learning how to lead and listening effectively. Effective leaders are good listeners are important for effective leadership. Learning how to lead effectively involves listening as well. You can apply this skill in different situations such as leading a team meeting, preparing a speech, giving instructions to employees and so on. Even a simple conversation with a group of people can help you learn how to lead effectively.
E. One more effective skill that you can practice is the art of listening to your customer or caller. As a salesperson, one of the things that you have to master is talking to someone and getting his or her complete attention. Then before saying something, you have to make sure that you understood what was being said. This may be tough at first, but if you persist with it, eventually you will be able to speak with ease even to people who are very critical.
F. It is essential that you are always being proactive in leading people. Remember that no matter how many times you are being proactive, you can never be proactive enough. There are certain situations that require you to be more reactive than being proactive. However, proactive leadership is something that only an effective leader can do. If you are leading people successfully, then being proactive is just a normal thing that you would normally do.
G. Mastering effective listening requires you to master the art of body language. Your body language is often used to convey more information than you possibly can through your words. If you are able to master the use of body language, you will be able to relay any message that you want to relay in a way that will not cause your listener to be defensive or annoyed. Remember that communication is an act of kindness, and if you want to be an effective leader, then you should try to be a good listener.
