Four Tips for Active Listening

1. Eliminate external and internal interference

Some external and internal interference are usually the main factors that hinder listening, so eliminating interference is the first way to improve listening skills. . You must focus entirely on the other person, so that you can understand what the other person said and did not say, and you can better understand the other person's body language and the true meaning of the other person's words by observing the other person.

2. Encourage the other person to speak first

Being good at listening is a kind of cultivation that can only be formed after long-term training. People who are good at listening come across as humble and studious, attentive, steady, honest and reliable. People who are good at listening can give others enough space to express themselves and avoid misunderstandings.

Encouraging the other party to speak first can reduce the competitiveness in the conversation. Since the speaker does not have to worry about the pressure of competition, he can also concentrate on grasping the key points without being busy looking for excuses for his own contradictions.

By asking the other person to express his or her opinion first, you have the opportunity to understand where both parties agree before expressing your own. Listening can make the other party more willing to accept your opinions and make it easier for you to persuade the other party. People who are good at listening often have unexpected gains.

3. Use body language

When we are talking to others, our inner feelings are clearly expressed through body language even before we have a chance to speak. came out. If your attitude is relatively closed or cold, the speaker will naturally be particularly concerned about his every move, and will have a sense of precaution and be less willing to open up; if you appear interested, it means that If you are willing to accept the other person and want to understand the other person's thoughts, the person speaking will be encouraged. This body language includes: smiling naturally, not crossing your arms, not putting your hands on your face, leaning slightly forward, looking into the other person's eyes frequently, and nodding.

4. Avoid interrupting other people’s conversations

A person who often interrupts others is not good at listening, has an extreme personality, is not polite, and has difficulty communicating with others. people. People who are good at listening to what others say will not interrupt the other person just because they want to emphasize some minutiae, want to change the topic suddenly, want to correct some irrelevant parts of the other person's words, or want to continue what they just didn't finish. conversation.