Lend An Ear: The Art of Effective Listening

Most great communicators are also great listeners. When you demonstrate that you have heard and understand what someone else is saying, you build trust. Great listeners do more than repeat what others are saying to demonstrate that they heard the message. Great listeners also demonstrate that they understand how the other person feels by empathizing with the speaker and communicating how they would feel under similar circumstances. Being empathetic helps the person who is speaking to feel safe and to be open and honest.

Great listeners also notice and respond to posture, tone of voice, facial expressions and other nonverbal clues that can be as telling and informative as the words someone says. Great listeners demonstrate that they have noticed nonverbal cues in a way that does not threaten the speaker and capitalize on opportunities to convey what they are really feeling. They also use nonverbal clues such as a nod of the head or leaning closer to the speaker to also demonstrate that the speaker is being heard.

Great listeners understand that their role is not to necessarily provide advice. Rather it is to lend an ear and simply listen. They don’t offer advice unless it is requested.

Great listeners also use the power of language. When they are not fully confident of what the speaker is trying to say, they ask questions such as could you provide an example, what would be the ideal solution for your situation or what would be a better way to approach this issue?

When you take advantage of the tools used by great listeners, you become a great communicator and a trusting partner to your team, your clients and just about everyone you interact with.