Active listening training
Active listening – is the practice of listening to understand what someone is saying. When you practice active listening, you’re exclusively focused on what the other person is saying instead of planning what to say in response, as you would during a debate or conversation. To confirm you understand, you then paraphrase what you heard back to the other person. Depending on the conversation, you can also ask a specific, open-ended question to dig deeper into the topic.
Active listening helps you have more meaningful and engaged conversations. When you’re paying full attention to what the other person is saying—without planning what you want to say or interrupting their conversation—you develop more effective communication skills.
Often, while we are listening, we are thinking of how we will respond. We might get distracted and miss some of what was said. We may not be paying much attention to the nonverbal communication cues of the speaker. Active listening requires the listener to pay close attention to what is being communicated verbally and nonverbally. The listener is encouraged to interpret not only the content of what is being said, but also the emotions present and the body language.
Active listening requires you to listen attentively to a speaker, understand what they’re saying, respond and reflect on what’s being said, and retain the information for later. This keeps both the listener and speaker actively engaged in the conversation.
Types of active listening:
Ready to become a better listener? Here’s how. There are four different types of listening:
Empathic listening is when you listen to understand. Think of listening when someone shares a personal story. In this type of listening, you’re focused on the other person, instead of yourself.
Appreciative listening is when you listen to enjoy yourself. Think of listening to music, a motivational speaker, or attending a religious ceremony.
Comprehensive listening is when you listen to learn something new. This type of listening happens when you listen to a podcast, the news, or an educational lecture, like a class.
Critical listening is when you listen to form an opinion of what someone else says. This type of listening happens when you’re debating with someone or when you’re listening to a sales person.
Loignon, A., & Bergeron, D. Running a Tight Ship: The Importance of Leader Listening.01.09. 2024. Retrieved from: https://surl.li/umtjyx
Amanda O'Bryan. How to Practice Active Listening: 16 Examples & Techniques. 8 Feb 2022. Retrieved from: https://surl.li/hyhmjc
Leonardo, N. (2020). Active listening techniques: 30 practical tools to hone your communication skills. Callisto Media, Inc... Retrieved from: https://surl.li/pisume