Developing the Art of being a Better Listener

Are you aware that having your voice heard in the workplace may be a significant tool for achieving success?

Consider a situation in which you just have a few words to speak, perhaps on the eve of discussing a really sensitive subject. Isn't it true that the other person's entire focus would be on you?

This level of focus helps you feel important because you know the other person is truly listening to you. It gives you a sense of security. You believe that someone truly understands you and that you are extremely valuable. It affirms your existence to be able to make your voice known.

Consider a time when you wanted to say something but couldn't attract anyone's attention. The other person has difficulty concentrating, is continually distracted by his phone, is clearly thinking about other things, or is simply queuing up his answers in a logical order without listening to what you are saying. Wouldn't you feel ignored, degraded, or irrelevant if this happened to you? Wouldn't you feel slapped in the face if you saw others' incapacity, or even worse, reluctance, to listen to you?

Unfortunately, being a good listener has become a skill on the edge of extinction in today's world. Interactions over the phone, as well as face-to-face conversations, have ceased to be the primary form of communication. E-mails and text messages have become our new favourite mode of communication, in which we send short, succinct messages that are prone to misunderstanding because of this.

When it comes to face-to-face talks, the same devices can convert us like Pavlov's dogs, where we divert our attention to the source of the sound as soon as we hear the notification sound. When you're continuously on the lookout for other essential information, being a good listener becomes practically impossible.

We all understand the value of being a good listener, both at work and in our daily lives, since we know how good it feels to be heard. The majority of us want to be active listeners and provide those we care about the soothing feeling of having their voices heard. Of course, being able to listen well offers advantages beyond garnering support or admiration from others.

Being a good listener is akin to being kind and courteous. Despite the fact that it is no longer considered a social need in today's world, being a good listener will make you stand out from the crowd and convert you into a person who is willing to be drawn to others. Consider how secure your position in the business world will be with this expertise!

Do you want to improve your listening skills? Then take a look at our article, which includes advice on how to be a better listener:

Take a time to identify and eliminate any distractions before speaking with one (or multiple) people. Turn off your phone or remove it from your immediate vicinity. Turn your computer off or lower the volume so you don't hear any email or notification sounds. Make sure the TV, radio, or other distracting gadgets are turned off.

If someone needs to speak with you and you're working on a critical project or task, either ask them to wait until the project or task is completed or take a break from your work to listen to the person in issue. Multitasking makes it impossible to be a true listener.

If you need to have a one-on-one chat with someone while in a social setting, attempt to withdraw to a quiet location where you won't be isolated or distracted by others. Oh, and don't look away from the person in front of you in the middle of a conversation to peek around to check who else is there.

Being a good listener entails more than just hearing someone's words. We communicate a lot more with our facial expressions, body language, and voice tone.

Being a good listener also necessitates being a good observer. Is the other guy sitting with his arms crossed defensively or relaxed, displaying his limitless self-assurance? Is her facial expression as irritated or concerned as she tries to project an air of "Everything is OK" with every word she says?

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