It is possible to learn a lot about others through what they say and tell. A good listener can learn a lot about people, their intentions and the underlying messages. Active listening is essential to understanding others; hearing is a physical skill, but listening is a social skill.
By actively listening, we capture what the other person is trying to convey and encourage you to keep talking, it is essential that the other person realizes that you understand it, which will make it more open to you, in case of doubt, listening is one of the best qualities we can cultivate as people.
- In communication.
- Does everything count not only what we say.
- But also our actions and body expression in general?Knowing how to read beyond words.
- In the gestures of others.
- Helps a lot.
It is very sad, but it is proven that we hear only half of what our interlocutor tells us, and soon we will be withholding more than half. It’s hard, isn’t it? We usually listen to what we want, see what we are interested in and in the end we look in the words of others for confirmation of our expectations, obviously, with this panel the misunderstandings and misunderstandings are on the agenda. arrives distorted and full of mistakes.
The problem is that we all react according to what we think the other media and, if we have misunderstood, our reaction will be inadequate and conflicts may arise that neither party sought.
By actively listening, we can
? To better understand what is expected of us.
? Develop a more harmonious relationship with our colleagues, family, friends and loving partners.
? Solve problems more easily
? Capture the underlying meanings.
Certainly, we can all improve in this area; here are some ideas to achieve this:
1. Be patient and calm. Give your interlocutor time to express your mind alone, not everyone is a born communicator.
2. Focus on what you are doing. Don’t think about what happened yesterday or what to do next. Don’t do three different things while listening.
3. Focus on the person listening. This is fundamental: don’t think about what you’re going to say next, sometimes, instead of listening to the other, we just listen to our own thoughts, affirming or denying inwardly everything they tell us. Just listen to yourself.
4. Net let your mind travel. Make an effort not to have mental distractions.
5. Ask questions. It’s a great way to start a conversation with someone and give them a chance to express themselves.
6. Summarize what you hear. It’s a great way to clear things up. Sometimes people don’t say what they really mean, and summarizing them helps them express their feelings and ideas more clearly.
7. Look at body language and what is not said. Listen to the feelings and ideas behind words.
8. No interrupt. It’s a very unpleasant thing for anyone trying to communicate an idea. In fact, it’s good to take a short break before talking, this will help the other person feel like there’s no hurry and they’re really listening to you.
It’s very important to learn to listen to others, but even if it sounds simple, there are really few people who can really hear, with a sincere interest in what the other has to say.
If we strive to actively listen, we will have nothing to lose and much to gain, because this simple detail can change our lives and our personal relationships. After all, who doesn’t want to be heard?
Image courtesy of Jesper Sachmann