How to become an efficient listener?
Having good listening skills is something extremely imperative regardless of your profession and daily routine. It is the ability to receive and interpret messages accurately in the communication process. It is the vital key to all effective communication. You might misunderstand messages due to poor listening skills. Now, the question is how to enhance listening skills. Here is the key.
Make Eye Contact
One of the major aspects to get the enhanced listening skills is establishing eye contact to your respective listeners. Keep all the objects of distractions aside and turn your face to the audience. There are times, when our focus shifts to other unnecessary things from the actual point, especially when we find someone with high stature whether in age, status or designation. Forget everything and focus!
Pay Attention but Be Relaxed
Once your eye contact is established, try not to leave the audience that you are staring at them. The best way is to look away now and then and keep on going like a normal person but be attentive. The key distractions like background activity and noise should be avoided. Moreover, you should also not focus on the accent and speech mannerisms to that point where they start distracting you. Your own feelings, thoughts or biases are a few obstacles in your way to be an effective listener.
Keep Your Judgement Aside
It is true that the speaker can also have a shallow opinion about a few concepts and that is where you catch him and start arguing mentally during the speech. However, once you get yourself engaged in judgmental bemusements you start compromising with your ability to listen carefully. Listen without reaching to conclusions.
Go with Words and Picture the Message
Now, you should keep your mind in a state where it can communicate the information. You must focus on what the speaker has to convey. It can be either a literal picture or an arrangement of abstract concepts, your brain will do the required stuff if you are fully focused.
Published on 12-Dec-2018 11:15:15
