How to be a better listener: Key habits to practice
What's the story
Empathetic listening is one of the most important skills that can take your communication to another level.
When you really understand and respond to people, you can establish better connections and make the ecosystem more supportive.
This article lists five habits that can make you a better empathetic listener, giving practical tips to anyone who wants to hone their communication skills.
Visual connection
Maintain eye contact
Maintaining eye contact is an integral part of empathetic listening.
It tells the speaker that you're fully invested in the conversation and care about what they have to say.
Eye contact helps establish trust and promotes open communication, making it easier for the speaker to come clean.
By focusing on the speaker's eyes, listeners can also pick on non-verbal cues, which add more context to the conversation.
Respectful silence
Avoid interrupting
Letting someone finish without interrupting them is a clear sign of respect for their thoughts and opinions.
Interruptions can break the flow of the conversation and make the speaker feel disrespected or dismissed.
By practicing the art of respectful silence, the listeners get speakers' space to express themselves fully before they respond mindfully.
The practice not only improves understanding but also leads to a more collaborative dialogue.
Active reflection
Reflect back what you hear
Reflecting back what you hear is a powerful way to show empathy in conversations.
This means summarizing or paraphrasing what the speaker has said, confirming your understanding of their message.
Active reflection helps clarify any misunderstandings early on and reassures the speaker that they have been heard accurately.
It also encourages deeper engagement by prompting further discussion based on mutual comprehension.
Authentic engagement
Show genuine interest
Demonstrating genuine interest in what someone is saying enhances empathetic listening significantly.
Asking relevant questions or expressing curiosity about specific points shows that you value their perspective and are eager to learn more about their experiences or viewpoints.
Authentic engagement creates an atmosphere where speakers feel comfortable sharing openly without fear of judgment or dismissal.
Non-verbal awareness
Be mindful of body language
Being mindful of body language is an important part of empathetic listening as it expresses attentiveness better than words can.
Positive non-verbal cues like nodding, leaning slightly forward, and keeping an open posture indicate that you're receptive toward speakers' messages.
On the other hand, negative signals like crossed arms may show disinterest, even if you don't mean it.
So, keeping verbal responses in line with supportive gestures ensures consistent messaging throughout interactions.