Hearing and listening are two distinct acts. While hearing is the physical act of recognizing sound, listening requires mental processing. Knowing the difference between the two can greatly improve your communications skills and ultimately help your business succeed.

“Active listening” takes the process of listening one step further. For active listening, you listen to a person and repeat what you understood in your own words, like paraphrasing. This helps to ensure that there are no discrepancies in communication. This mutual understanding is a key concept for many communication strategies.

The key to active listening is to really listen, rather than trying to listen while thinking about how to respond. We have all been guilty of this at one point or another. Whether it is a normal conversation or a heated exchange, we may have forgone listening to formulate our quick-fire response. Often times we do this without thinking which can damage our reputations and breakdown effective communication.

If you would like to become a better listener, try these things:

Check Your Ego
If you’re preoccupied with thoughts about your own personal outcome in a conversation, you cannot truly listen. Let go of these thoughts and focus on listening to create a positive outcome for the conversation.

Stop Thinking About Your Response
Again, if you’re thinking about your response while the other person is talking, you are not listening.

Acknowledge Feelings
You may not necessarily agree with the thoughts and feelings of the other person, but you should politely acknowledge that they were heard.

Nonverbally Show Engagement
Body language goes a long way. From a slight tilt of the head to maintaining eye contact, these nonverbal cues help to indicate that you are listening and are engaged in the conversation.

Admit When You Didn’t Listen
While this may seem counterproductive, it is wise to admit when you didn’t listen. You can be honest, or phrase it in a way that you are trying to listen and understand. For example, you can say “I didn’t quite catch that. Could you please repeat?” This is a better option than basing your response on missed or incorrect information.

Use Active Listening
Paraphrasing and active listening can improve your skills tenfold. You can avoid conflicts and improve relationships by making that extra step to check for mutual understanding.

Communication skills are a key asset in every aspect of your life. Share your own communication tips with us and your peers on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

Find a great selection of new and refurbished business phones online at Startechtel.com. Please feel free to contact us at 800-564-8045 with any questions. Our staff will be happy to assist you.

Tags: Active listening, Better Listener, Comprehending, Learn to Listen, Listening Skills