The art of listening (Guest infographic)

We all know what it’s like to be stuck in a conversation with a bad listener. The type of person who only thinks about what they’re going to say next and doesn’t actually pay attention to what you’re trying to convey to them. For HR staff and other workplace professionals, developing your listening skills is an essential part of being a good leader and making sure your employees and co-workers are being respected. Luckily, this is a skill that you can improve on with just a little practice. Below are 10 examples of how you can do this:

1.    Focus on Understanding, Not Your Response - Like we mentioned in the example earlier, thinking about what you are going to say next instead of actually listening to the other person is a really bad habit to fall into. Make sure you are staying present and focused in your conversations and truly listening to what is being said. If it takes you a few seconds longer to formulate a good response, that’s okay, because it shows you care about providing a genuine answer.

2.    Let Notes Take a Backseat - Especially in today’s virtual world of Zoom calls, taking notes can be a good way to remember important details. However, studies have shown that taking word-for-word notes is actually much less useful than simply listening and jotting down a few things in shorthand. The difference is non-generative vs generative recording, and generative recording actually helps you remember more because you’re able to listen instead of concentrating on just writing.

For the rest of the tips on improving the art of listening, take a look at the full guide from Chattermill along with the infographic below: