Active Listening
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ― Epictetus
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Why do we listen?​ To get information, to understand, to learn, and most importantly to influence. Research suggests that we only remember 25-50% of what we hear, as described by Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience. There are three levels of listenings:
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Level 1: Listening to impress
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Level 2: Listening to learn
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Level 3: Listening the understand
As part of being a good communicator, you have to be a good active listener — which is a simple technique that makes people feel heard. Here are some tips to be a good active listener:
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Let people finish their thought-process
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Avoid finishing other people's sentences
- Don't interrupt
- Spend more time listening than talking
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Pay attention to what people are saying
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Listen for non-verbal cues such as body language
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Make eye contact, face the speaker, nod occasionally, etc.
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Don't jump to conclusions or judgments or prepare for rebuttal
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After people are done talking​
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Reframe what the others say to make sure you understand them correctly
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​Ask a lot of questions, and do not answer questions with questions
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Think about your response after the person is done speaking​
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