Listening Skills: When good communication is not just good talking!

In life or work, communication doesn’t just stop at speaking but also heavily depends on listening abilities. This is a key factor that helps you receive information and build good relationships with others. So how can you have good listening skills? Kounselly will reveal it to you in the following article.

How Important Are Listening Skills in Communication?

Listening is not just receiving information from others; it also involves focusing and understanding. Only by listening correctly can you understand correctly, and this is true in every case. If you miss or do not understand the requirements of your boss, customers, or those around you, it will be difficult to take the next actions properly.

Practicing listening skills every day will be a foundation to help you improve your communication ability. And, it is also the foundation for:

Social relationships with high cohesion.
Reducing stress when there is conflict and solving problems better.
Enhancing your performance in all life and work activities.
Developing yourself daily through receiving knowledge and perspectives from those around you.

Basic Elements of Listening Skills

So what makes a person have good listening skills? They will be those who possess the following elements:

Focus and Attention: Concentration helps the listener not miss important information and connect better in communication, thereby understanding the issue most thoroughly.
Understanding and Analyzing Information: Simply hearing words is not enough; factors such as tone, body language, or the speaker’s emotions also play a role in supplementing the message. Try to understand the story and the meaning behind the words.
Appropriate Response: Responses can be agreements, sharing your views, or providing suggestions and solutions. The important thing is to show respect and understanding to the other person.

Methods to Practice Listening Skills

There are many different types of listening skills, the most common being three types: Empathetic listening, cognitive listening, and discriminative listening. No matter which listening ability you want to improve, you can practice through the following ways:

Active and Positive Listening

When actively listening, you not only hear words but also pay attention to emotions, body language, and other non-verbal cues from the speaker. Maintain high concentration and show interest by nodding, using encouraging words like “Yes,” “I understand,” or eliciting more information with various open-ended questions.

Focusing on Communication

High concentration will be the most effective method to practice any skill, and listening is no exception. Try to remember as much as possible what the other person is saying and avoid distractions like phones, computers, or noisy environments. Always maintain eye contact or at least observe the body language of the other person.

Not Interrupting

Interrupting others not only shows a lack of respect but also disrupts their train of thought. Be patient and let the speaker finish their point before you respond. This helps create a comfortable and respectful communication environment.

Understanding When Listening

Understanding when listening doesn’t just stop at hearing but also comprehending the meaning and emotions the speaker wants to convey. Put yourself in the speaker’s position to feel what they are experiencing. Sometimes, just a simple sentence like “I understand your feelings” can help the speaker feel understood and shared with.

Avoiding Judgment or Imposition

When listening, avoid judging or imposing your personal opinions on the speaker. Everyone has their own perspectives and feelings, and judging them only makes them feel isolated or disrespected. Instead, listen openly and respect others’ opinions.

Questioning Skills

Asking questions is an important part of listening skills. Open-ended questions like “Can you clarify that?” or “Why do you feel that way?” encourage the speaker to share more information and their feelings. This not only helps you understand better but also shows interest and respect for the speaker.

Using Body Language

Use eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions to show your interest and listening. A slight nod, a smile, or eye contact can make the speaker feel respected and heard, encouraging them to clarify details in the conversation.

Sharing Personal Opinions

After listening, gently and respectfully sharing your personal opinions is also important. Ensure you fully understand the speaker’s viewpoint before presenting your own. This helps create a two-way dialogue, building mutual understanding and respect. Both parties can understand each other’s perspectives and reach a unanimous or reasonable conclusion.

Applying Listening Skills at Work

Listening and speaking skills are closely related; developing one also sets the stage for improving the other. This also helps your communication skills improve day by day.

With good listening skills, your work will become more favorable:

Effective listening in communication with colleagues creates a positive and cooperative work environment.
When discussing with your boss, listening skills help you understand the requirements and expectations of your superiors. Additionally, listening allows you to ask appropriate questions and respond professionally, creating a good impression on your boss.
Listening skills help you understand the problems customers face and provide suitable solutions. Even demanding and difficult customers will trust and be satisfied with your service when they feel listened to and understood.

Listening skills not only make you a better communicator but also open up many opportunities for success in life and work. Practice this skill daily with the methods Kounselly has suggested above. As a result, you will build sustainable relationships and achieve many successes in your career and life.