Active Listening
Here are a few tips to help you start listening more actively:
Firstly, never underestimate the importance of nonverbal communication.
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One study found that nonverbal factors were responsible for 93 percent of communication effectiveness. While not all experts agree that the percentage is as high as this, they do agree that nonverbal communication is extremely powerful.
So, when you listen to another person, pay close attention to their tone of voice, facial expression and body language. Sometimes, for example, a person"s words may be positive but their nonverbal communication is not.
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Also, you can use nonverbal methods to encourage another person to communicate with you.
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You can use nonverbal signals such as nods of the head or smiles to let the speaker know you are interested and truly listening without interrupting their speech too much.
Another key to active listening is having an open mind. Do your best to put your own feelings and opinions aside while you listen, and encourage the speaker to fully express their ideas. Try to imagine that you are in the same situation as the speaker.
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One more tip is to "echo" what the speaker has said. By repeating or rephrasing their words, such as by saying, "So, you feel unhappy" or "This caused problems for you", you are performing two important functions of an active listener.
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This technique is especially useful in highly emotional situations or situations where there is disagreement.
A. When a person"s words do not agree with their nonverbal signals, you may need to consider how truthfully they are speaking.
B. Making eye contact, using friendly facial expressions and having a relaxed and open manner are all helpful.
C. "Nonverbal" simply means "without words".
D. In this way, you will better understand their point of view.
E. If you do that, you have stopped listening and started talking.
F. One is showing the other person that you have been following what they have been saying, and the other is giving the speaker the chance to correct you if you have misunderstood.