10 Ways to Become a Better Listener
6. Avoid disruptions
Try to take the conversation to a quite place with minimum noise and once you have started, try to avoid disruptions as far as practicable. Listening is a commitment and once you have made it, try to forget everything else for some time.
7. Reschedule
Don’t rush through a conversation just because you don’t have time. Words like “Ok, you have got two minutes”, “Common, try to be faster” are not exactly encouraging words. If you are too busy, apologize to the other person and give him/her a comfortable time when you both are free.
8. Paraphrase and summarize
Try to confirm in the end that you have grasped what the person at the other end was trying to convey. Also, mirror back what he/she said from time to time to ensure complete understanding.
9. Ask queries
If you still have any doubts regarding any part of the conversation, feel free to clarify them. Keeping quiet will only add to the confusion. Besides, it will also convey your understanding of and interest in what the speaker had to say. Don’t be too vain and keep your thoughts to yourself.
10. Keep trying
You can’t hope to turn into a new leaf overnight. So, continue your pursuit of becoming a better listener. It may seem boring or tough in the beginning, but at the end of the day it’s all gonna be worth it.
