How to Improve Your Listening Skills

According to Toastmasters, there are many courses, seminars, and preparations available that are centered on “talking,” especially open talking, which is a highly desirable skill.

Open communication is seen as a crucial skill for those who desire to further their careers in commercial and governmental concerns. However, with all the fuss about the importance of speech, listening is essentially ignored.

One may argue that listening is equally as important as speaking. Everyone wants to be understood and heard, and we reward those who open those doors for us with our loyalty and trust.

Here are five strategies for improving our listening skills:

1. Invest your time now.
Have you ever spoken to someone and realized that they weren’t really paying attention to you since they were preoccupied with something else? Most likely, you thought that this was offensive, depressing, and bad manners. By that time, you could have even lost your cool or ended the conversation.

Being fully present and in the moment with someone when they are speaking is crucial. If you need to focus on anything else, such as a call or a response to a message, let them know. Then, do what has to be done. When you’re through, let them know that you’re ready to tune in. When you listen, pay attention to more than just the words; also, the way you talk, your outer look, and your nonverbal cues. You will get information from this that is just as important as the words themselves.

2. SLIP into their shoes.
Whatever the speaker is saying is important to them, whether or not you agree with them or even support what they have to say. Imagine yourself in their shoes, desperate for simply someone to listen. Try to think about what they are used to and why while they are speaking. Imagine what their life might be like and the challenges they could face. People will appreciate your efforts to fully understand and pay attention to them.

3. Note important points and inform the speaker that you did so.
Many people find it difficult to pay attention to what others are saying, especially if they are speaking for more than a minute or close to it. It is easy for our admiration of the float to shift to something else that we could find much more intriguing. If such is the case, make an effort to include a few important topics in the conversation. After they’ve finished speaking, acknowledge what they said by mentioning the main points and ask them to clarify anything you didn’t understand. If the person you are speaking with believes that you made an effort, you will be given permission to forego continuing the conversation in its entirety.

4. ACTIVE LISTENING PRACTICE
When someone is speaking, a lot of individuals are thinking about their response. Instead, make an effort to completely focus on what the speaker is saying. Consider that the quantity of what they said you heard and understood will be the determining factor in your trial. A good activity to do is to sit down with a friend or family member and practice essentially criticizing what you heard them say. You’ll notice that it becomes much easier to focus on what they are saying if you aren’t stressing about how you’re going to respond.

5. CREATE A DESIRE FOR CONTINUAL GROWTH, AN OPEN MIND, AND CURIOSITY.
Those who are naturally curious see debates as opportunities for learning. They regard everyone they speak to as having the ability to teach them something, and they are always looking for or learning new knowledge. They don’t want to consistently defend their specific point of view or way of perceiving the world because they are open to the thought that it may not be the primary or ultimately best approach.

These people are always looking for new learning opportunities and tackling new challenges. You’ll see these people as the ones who, throughout their lives, consent to taking courses, giving back, and engaging in novel experiences. For them, listening to others becomes a natural and easy way to advance in their quest for self-improvement.