Tips for active listening
Improve your active listening skills
Read our top tips to hone your active listening skills in the workplace especially if you’re a mentor or coach.
Effective communication is at the heart of all our relationships, not just in the workplace. When we think of communication, we often think of what we say and how we say it but not how we listen. Active listening is key to our communication, especially for mentors and workplace coaches.
Active listening is not merely hearing words; it is a deliberate and focused effort to understand, interpret, and respond to the person. We explore the significance of active listening in the workplace and delve into practical strategies for an active listener.
Why Active Listening Matters in the Workplace
We often work in fast-paced environments with endless modes of communication, where information flows rapidly and decisions are made swiftly. So, the ability to actively listen can be a game-changer. For mentors and workplace coaches, it goes beyond just comprehending information—it's about fostering meaningful connections, building trust, and creating an environment that encourages growth and development. Empathy needs to be at the heart of your mentoring and coaching relationships, and active listening is an important step in building that understanding of others.
Active listening creates a space where individuals feel heard and valued. By honing your active listening, you can inspire creativity, boost morale, and create great relationships in the workplace.
Here are our tips for active listening:
Be patient
Patience is a virtue when it comes to active listening. Resist the urge to interject or formulate your response while the speaker is sharing their thoughts. Try to just be in the moment and give the person your full attention even if you think you have the answer they need.
2. Embrace silence
Silence can be powerful - but let’s face it, it can feel awkward and something we feel we need to fill. To be a good active listener though, hold back from interrupting, and resist the temptation to fill gaps in conversation. Allow the speaker the space they need to articulate their ideas fully. By filling a silence, you may stop something from developing an important thought, build up the courage to say something vulnerable or come up with a solution themselves..
3. Show you're listening
Non-verbal cues are crucial role in active listening. Maintain eye contact, nod in agreement, and lean forward to show your engagement. Be selective with note-taking. How many times have you missed something when messaging someone on our phone while someone is talking? It’s the same with note-taking. While it's important to capture key points, excessive note-taking can detract from your active presence.
4. Observe non-verbal language
Beyond words, pay attention to body language. Is there excitement in their gestures, or do they seem vulnerable? Non-verbal cues can give you valuable insight into a person’s emotions and perspectives.
5. Avoid imposing opinions and judgments
Active listening requires you not to jump to judgments and opinions while someone is talking. Suspend your own opinions and hold back from passing judgment prematurely. This creates an atmosphere where individuals feel safe expressing themselves authentically.
6. Ask questions
Asking thoughtful and probing questions demonstrates your commitment to understanding the speaker's perspective. It not only encourages them to think deeper, it enables you to understand them even more. If you feel you are creeping into judgment territory, asking someone relevant questions to tease an issue out and see if you’re heading in the right direction is better than imposing your view on someone.
7. Summarise and paraphrase
To show that you’ve understood, you can periodically summarise and paraphrase the person’s main points. This not only reinforces your engagement but also provides an opportunity for clarification if needed. Always check in and ask if your summary is accurate. For example; “So, I’m hearing that you want to prioritise how to manage your time effectively, based on your reflections on missing some deadlines recently and feeling like you could have approached your timings differently - would that be right?”.
