How to Improve Listening Skills in the World of Work

04 March 2024

Communication is always synonymous with talking and conveying opinions. Unfortunately, many people forget the listening skill which is no less important. You need good listening skills to solve all problems that arise

Listening to other people speak is not just focusing on answering or responding to what they say. For this reason, you need to know how to improve your good listening skills in the world of work.

Getting to Know Active Listening Skills

You must first know the difference between just listening and active listening skills. Active listening is a skill to focus attention on a topic being discussed by the conversation partner.

It doesn't end there, this skill also makes you very involved with the topic of conversation. This allows you to repeat and even make summaries and conclusions from the topic of discussion. Apart from that, you also don't judge your conversation partner by the opinions that come to mind.

Benefits of Sharpening Listening Skills

The goal of being an active listener is to obtain complete and accurate information for further discussion. The following are the benefits that can be obtained by improving active listening skills.

  • Could have responded better
  • Can identify problems that arise to find solutions
  • Minimize misunderstandings
  • Minimize conflicts that occur between you and your conversation partner
  • Learn to understand the speaker
  • Improve relationships with other people
  • Helps increase the level of trust others have in you

How to Improve Listening Ability

Being a good listener also needs to be trained and accustomed. Following are the steps that need to be taken.

1. Make eye contact with the conversation partner

The most standard thing that must be done when being a listener is to make eye contact with the person you are talking to. Make eye contact to indicate that you and your conversation partner are on the same level. If your conversation partner is standing, you also need to stand when talking to him. It's even better if you keep away things that can disturb your concentration while talking.

2. Stay relaxed while listening

Looking into the eyes of your conversation partner is an obligation. However, not infrequently this can actually create tension. To keep yourself relaxed, try to look away from time to time. Staying calm will keep your mind from being disturbed by bad thoughts that could ruin the conversation.

3. Observe body language

Most people communicate with their body language. This body language includes facial expressions, body position, and hand movements. You also need to pay more attention to the volume, rhythm and tone of the conversation partner. It can contain emotions that other people want to convey.

4. Be open minded

Coming with an open mind will make the conversation more developed. You are not restrained by personal opinion so that it interrupts the things the interlocutor wants to convey. Having an open mind also makes you want to know more about the topic of conversation.

5. Listen until the end

If you want to be an active listener, you must be able to get rid of the habit of interrupting other people's conversations. Allow the conversation partner to finish speaking first. Interrupting in the middle of a conversation will actually cause the conversation topic to become lost and go off track. Listening until the end is also a sign that you respect the person you are talking to.

6. Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is a technique of re-explaining using your own language. This way you will stay focused and better understand the topic being discussed. You only need to repeat the important things that were discussed. This step also makes the partner you are talking to feel like you appreciate them.

7. Position yourself as a conversation partner

The next step that needs to be done is to imagine that you are the person who is asking you to talk. Then, try to imitate the emotions that the person is emitting. That way, you can be more empathetic towards other people.

8. Ask questions

Asking questions indicates you are listening. Moreover, if the question asked is very related. This also indicates that you want to know more about the current chat topic. It's even better if you can appreciate the partner you're talking to by providing feedback.

That's what you need to do to hone good active listening skills. Doing it more often will improve your skills quickly. Not only will your listening skills improve, your personality will also be better in the eyes of other people.

Communication is always synonymous with talking and conveying opinions. Unfortunately, many people forget the listening skill which is no less important. You need good listening skills to solve all problems that arise

Listening to other people speak is not just focusing on answering or responding to what they say. For this reason, you need to know how to improve your good listening skills in the world of work.

Getting to Know Active Listening Skills

You must first know the difference between just listening and active listening skills. Active listening is a skill to focus attention on a topic being discussed by the conversation partner.

It doesn't end there, this skill also makes you very involved with the topic of conversation. This allows you to repeat and even make summaries and conclusions from the topic of discussion. Apart from that, you also don't judge your conversation partner by the opinions that come to mind.

Benefits of Sharpening Listening Skills

The goal of being an active listener is to obtain complete and accurate information for further discussion. The following are the benefits that can be obtained by improving active listening skills.

  • Could have responded better
  • Can identify problems that arise to find solutions
  • Minimize misunderstandings
  • Minimize conflicts that occur between you and your conversation partner
  • Learn to understand the speaker
  • Improve relationships with other people
  • Helps increase the level of trust others have in you

How to Improve Listening Ability

Being a good listener also needs to be trained and accustomed. Following are the steps that need to be taken.

1. Make eye contact with the conversation partner

The most standard thing that must be done when being a listener is to make eye contact with the person you are talking to. Make eye contact to indicate that you and your conversation partner are on the same level. If your conversation partner is standing, you also need to stand when talking to him. It's even better if you keep away things that can disturb your concentration while talking.

2. Stay relaxed while listening

Looking into the eyes of your conversation partner is an obligation. However, not infrequently this can actually create tension. To keep yourself relaxed, try to look away from time to time. Staying calm will keep your mind from being disturbed by bad thoughts that could ruin the conversation.

3. Observe body language

Most people communicate with their body language. This body language includes facial expressions, body position, and hand movements. You also need to pay more attention to the volume, rhythm and tone of the conversation partner. It can contain emotions that other people want to convey.

4. Be open minded

Coming with an open mind will make the conversation more developed. You are not restrained by personal opinion so that it interrupts the things the interlocutor wants to convey. Having an open mind also makes you want to know more about the topic of conversation.

5. Listen until the end

If you want to be an active listener, you must be able to get rid of the habit of interrupting other people's conversations. Allow the conversation partner to finish speaking first. Interrupting in the middle of a conversation will actually cause the conversation topic to become lost and go off track. Listening until the end is also a sign that you respect the person you are talking to.

6. Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is a technique of re-explaining using your own language. This way you will stay focused and better understand the topic being discussed. You only need to repeat the important things that were discussed. This step also makes the partner you are talking to feel like you appreciate them.

7. Position yourself as a conversation partner

The next step that needs to be done is to imagine that you are the person who is asking you to talk. Then, try to imitate the emotions that the person is emitting. That way, you can be more empathetic towards other people.

8. Ask questions

Asking questions indicates you are listening. Moreover, if the question asked is very related. This also indicates that you want to know more about the current chat topic. It's even better if you can appreciate the partner you're talking to by providing feedback.

That's what you need to do to hone good active listening skills. Doing it more often will improve your skills quickly. Not only will your listening skills improve, your personality will also be better in the eyes of other people.

Prasetiya Mulya Executive Learning Institute
Prasetiya Mulya Cilandak Campus, Building 2, #2203
Jl. R.A Kartini (TB. Simatupang), Cilandak Barat, Jakarta 12430
Indonesia
Prasetiya Mulya Executive Learning Institute
Prasetiya Mulya Cilandak Campus, Building 2, #2203
Jl. R.A Kartini (TB. Simatupang), Cilandak Barat,
Jakarta 12430
Indonesia