You might have heard the question, What does it take to be a good listener? at some point in your life time. Most likely you have asked yourself this question at some point and again you have probably given up. The reason why you haven't asked the question more often is because you are not a good listener.
There are some characteristics that make up a good listener and a bad one. One of the main characteristics is being able to listen to what another person is saying. They should be able to hear and understand what the other person is trying to say. The person should also have great patience and empathy. Listening to someone is something that we all do on a daily basis. So, if you want to be known as a great listener there are things that you need to do.
People will judge you on what they see. If you are present and paying attention to what the person is saying you will be able to determine if they are saying things that you can relate to or you can simply ignore them. So being a good listener goes way beyond just talking and listening. People will see how well you listen to them and how good you are at picking up on what they are trying to say.
Another characteristic to have as a listener is that you should listen with an open mind. Sometimes people tend to shut their minds off when they are talking to other people. This is a huge mistake because by doing this you are missing out on a lot of great opportunities. Instead of focusing on what someone is saying, you could be looking at something else that is going on around you.
One more trait that you should have as a listener is to be able to tune into what a person is saying. When you are trying to understand what another person is saying you have to be able to hear everything that they are saying. So if you miss a few words when the other person is talking it doesn't matter as much because you missed them the first time. So practice this ability by pausing and listening whenever someone is speaking.
Being able to understand what people are talking about can really help you to succeed in life. If you are trying to succeed in your career then understanding what people are talking about will help you be more effective and successful in what you do. You will learn more about yourself as well because you will have more experience to show others. This is a very powerful skill that you can develop and use to your advantage.
The last characteristic that you should have as a good listener is that you should always look the other person in the eye when you speak. A lot of people skip over this part of what it takes to be a good listener and it really makes a big difference. When you skip this part you will sound unprofessional and you won't come across as a trustworthy person. People will see right through you and your lack of consideration for the other person. This is a huge problem that you can avoid if you always make eye contact when you talk. Doing this will give you a more professional demeanor and a more trustworthy personality.
So, now that you know the answers to the question "what does it take to be a good listener?" You should be able to put those qualities into practice the very next time you find yourself in a situation that requires your attention. There is really no excuse to not know how to listen to what other people are saying. You should become skilled at this skill and you will have a better grasp on how to interact with people and deal with all kinds of situations.
