1. What is Active Listening?
Are you a good listener? Many people think they are, but the truth is that most of us could stand to improve our listening skills. Active listening is a type of communication that requires the listener to be fully engaged with the speaker. This means giving the speaker your full attention, being patient, and not interrupting. It can be helpful in several situations, such as when trying to resolve a conflict or understand someone’s point of view.
Active listening has four main stages: paying attention, reflecting, clarifying, and summarizing. Paying attention is the most critical stage. The listener must be focused entirely on the speaker and not allow anything to interfere with their concentration. Reflecting is when the listener paraphrases and restates what the speaker has said. This shows that the listener understands the speaker. Clarifying is when the listener asks questions to ensure they know the speaker correctly. Finally, summarizing is when the listener briefly summarizes the main points of the conversation. This allows both parties to check that they are on the same page.