Are You A Good Listener?

Since listening is as important as speaking in the communication process, if you wanted to improve your listening skills, where would you begin? We all need to feel that we are being heard and understood. It is a basic human need that is as primary a need as having enough water, food or air to survive.

Exercise active listening skills. Try asking more questions. If you need clarification ask the speaker to say more, give an example or to explain further. Give feedback or paraphrase what you’ve heard: “Are you saying such and such?

There are times when the best advice is to give no advice at all. Sometimes a person just needs to be heard. Many times we feel as if we know the answer to another’s problems. We know the perfect solution … if only they would just listen.