13 Ways to Become a Better Listener

Did you know that March is International Listening Awareness Month? And did you know that we are collectively very poor listeners? In fact, according to the International Listening Association, we only retain about half of what we hear immediately after we hear it, and only about 20% beyond that. Pretty bad, isn’t it?

Despite the disappointing stats, though, listening is one of the most important parts of successful communication. Many times, I think we get caught up in the sound of our own voices and we forget to be quiet and hear what others are saying.

Imagine if we were all able to boost our ability to listen so we retained 75% of what we heard immediately after hearing it and 50% long term? The implications of this more effective listening would be phenomenal:

• We would be spend less time trying to recall what we can’t remember and become more productive.
• The quality of our work would improve because we would make less mistakes.
• We would likely get into fewer arguments.
• Our relationships would be stronger.
• We would have more empathy and compassion for others.

So in honor of International Listening Awareness Month, I’ve compiled a list of ways to become a more effective listener.

1. Stop talking.
2. Put yourself in the speaker’s shoes so you get a deeper understanding of where they’re coming from and what is driving them to say what they’re saying.
3. Focus on using inviting body language, such as making eye contact, uncrossing your arms, and turning your shoulders so you’re facing the person speaking.
4. Avoid thinking about what you’re going to say next.
5. Create memory triggers to assist your recall.
6. Be open minded and avoid passing judgment on the speaker.
7. Stop doing other things — all other things — while someone is speaking to you.
8. Reschedule the conversation when possible if you can’t remove the distractions.
9. Participate in active listening by encouraging the speaker with nods and affirmative words.
10. Take what is being said at face value and avoid focusing on the “hidden” meaning.
11. Don’t interrupt.
12. Summarize and repeat what you heard when it’s your turn to talk.
13. Ask for clarification to get a better understanding of what was said.

When it gets down to it, and when you take the busyness of life into consideration, listening is hard. But we all have the same struggles and the same opportunity for improvement.

I’m ready to tackle some of these tips in March, and will hopefully be able to form better habits when it comes to my ongoing ability to listen effectively.

What will you do to improve your own listening skills?

Image credit: StillSearc