How can I become a better listener?

If someone is talking to you, then you should try to focus all your energy on listening to what that person is saying. Do not look around the room or out the window while the person is addressing you.

You should generally avoid allowing your mind to wander during a conversation. Perhaps you think you know what the person is going to say next – but oftentimes, you will be wrong! In those instances where you find yourself “tuning out” the other person, you are likely missing pertinent information! If you feel that your mind has begun to wander, shift the position of your body and try to focus all your energies on listening to the other person.

Try your best not to interrupt someone when they are talking. Interrupting speakers gets on their nerves, because it indicates to them that you have not been listening to what they are saying – even if you have – or at the very least that you are not interested in what they have to say.

On the flip side of that occasion, you should also give yourself a chance to finish listening to the other person before you begin to speak in response. This might mean taking a moment to reflect on what the other person has just said before you begin to respond.

If you want to make sure you are listening well, try to capture the main points that the speaker is attempting to convey. These will likely be mentioned in the beginning or at the end of a speech. They will also most likely be repeated several times throughout the monologue or dialogue. It is vital to pay extra attention to statements that begin with such lines as “The thing to remember is” or “My point is.”

Will listening help me communicate my own ideas better?

You betcha. You have to remember the old saying that time is on your side. Your thoughts move a lot faster than normal speech does. So in theory, you should be able to formulate your own thoughts while simultaneously listening to what the speaker has to say. By the time it is your turn to speak, you should be able to respond directly to whatever it is that the speaker has just said.

First Page: Listening Skills - Become a Better Listener