Are you listening?

“Listening is one of the loudest forms of kindness.”

Listening is an essential skill when you are dealing with people. Listening will enhance your ability to be more insightful.  It is important that you stay focused and give the person talking your full attention. You need to be open, still, quiet and really hear what is being said to you.

Active listening

Active listening helps you to gain clarity about the complete message that is coming to you. You notice what they say, but you also need to notice what they don’t say. When you listen actively you are using your ears, your eyes, your body language and yourself. You are also listening for personal values, attitudes, habits, and problems. By listening to the tone of a person’s voice, you will be able to identify how they are feeling.

Intuitive listening

This takes listening to a new dimension. Not only are you listening with all your senses, to the messages that you are receiving, you also need to tune into your intuition. This intuition enables you to develop your empathic understanding.

Paraphrasing

By simplifying the person’s statements and relaying it back to them, you will encourage the conversation to go to a deeper level. Using fewer words than the other person, will focus a conversation and will allow it to move at a faster pace. Trust will be building when the other person is reassured you are listening.

Repeating back what is said will highlight and confirm a particular point. Using this technique builds rapport as by using their language you are not making assumptions. The person speaking to you will also feel a sense of relief in knowing they are being understood.

Silences

You will need to learn that silences, or pauses in conversation, are good. By staying with the silence, you will allow the person to think, reflect or digest their thoughts and it will also let them hear themselves. Jumping in to quickly can cut short their thought process and stifle free thought.