Active Listening- A Key Life Skill

Active Listening- A Key Life Skill

As a professional, a husband and father, it is a requirement to listen to those who have issues to discuss. People in my life voice problems, talk about their dreams and detail day-to-day happenings. It is key to your listening skills and make yourself an "active listener" in order to meet the needs of others and learn about their lives.

Life is a people-business. No matter what job you work at, from fast-food to nuclear engineering requires active listening. What is active listening? Simply put, it is a dedicated concentration and focus on the message the speaker is communicating to you, the listener. In communication, there are 3-main points of consideration: the speaker, the message and the listener. The words and non-verbal communication methods of the speaker must be analyzed.

Consider the items below when actively listening:

1. What non-verbal cues is the speaker delivering? Are they actively upset? Confused?

2. Am I listening to the speaker or am I formulating a reply while they are speaking?

3. What has the speaker left out? Is it intentional? Why?

4. Am I asking open or closed ended questions? How are my questions perceived by the speaker?

5. What can I do to put the speaker or listener at ease?

6. Is the speaker aware I want to listen to them? Am I fully facing the listener and giving eye contact?

Next time you listen to someone, be present in the conversation and give them your undivided attention.

Sources:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_listening

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/active-listening-skills-with-examples-2059684

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