Article Sphere Logo  
 
"Communication Training" Article
 Article Directory Home Self Improvement Communication Training

10 Tips Quick And Easy Tips To Improve Your Listening Skills

  [View Summary]
Expert Author: Bill Urell | Submitted: 2007-10-10 | Word Count: 629 words | Views: 25 view(s)
Bill Urell
A peron who wants to communicate well must be a good listener. Often though, there is little emphasis placed on the skill of being a good listener. Being a good listener offers several advantages.

* It can diffuse a volatile situation.

* it shows respect to the speaker.

* You just might learn something.

* It can lead to a revealing and interesting discussion.

* It is just good manners.

If you are lacking in the listening skills department, though, there are some things that you can start doing today to become a better listener. These tips can enable you to become a better listener and communicate at a higher level.

1. Make and maintain eye contact. Maintaining eye contact is an indication to the speaker that you are listening, but keep it at a level that is comfortable for both you and the speaker.

2. Face the person with whom you are communicating. When someone is talking to you, you can at least face them and give them the courtesy of looking at them. This indicates to them that you are listening and it eliminates potential distractions for you.

3. Get rid of distractions. Turn off the TV, put down the book, close the door and pay full attention to your speaker. Distractions can interfer with important pieces of what is being communicated to you. You want to focus on what the speaker is saying to you and you don't want to miss anything.

4. Let the speaker know that you are listening. Nod and give verbal acknowledgments appropriately. If you nod vigorously the entire time that the speaker is talking, it will distract both of you and indicate to them that you are not really listening at all. A simple, "yes," or "uh huh" suffice.

5. Think about what the speaker is saying, not what you are going to say next. Many times it is a natural tendency to think about what you are going to say when someone else is talking. You may be trying to form your comeback to what they are saying. In doing so you will most certainly miss some vital information if you aren't really listening.

6. Do not interrupt. You should not interrupt for several reasons. For one, you may only be getting just a part of what they want to tell you when you interrupt, two, it shows that you are not listening and three, it is just plain rude. If you have to grab a piece of paper and take notes about what is said, do it, and the address your concerns when it is your time to talk.

7. Maintain an open mind When the speaker says something that goes against your beliefs, your mind may want to scream in protest, but try to keep an open mind and listen to their defense and argument. You just might learn something.

8. Ask questions to make sure that you understand. Ask questions to clarify what is being said. This way you can make sure that you understand what the speaker is saying.

9. Keep your body language neutral. Crossing your arms, putting your hands on your hips and turning away from the speaker are all indications that you are not listening, thus hindering your own ability to listen effectively. Keep your arms down at your sides and lean your body slightly in toward the speaker. Doing so increases your ability to listen and shows the speaker that you are listening and paying attention.

10. Realize that sometimes just listening is enough. Sometimes people just want to be heard without any response. Remember that it is OK to just listen from time to time.

About the Author

Our 101 page Addiction Recovery Help Guide is yours free just for visiting our site. It contains life skill and self improvement info. Bill Urell MA.CAAP-II, is an addictions therapist at a leading drug and alcohol treatment center. Visit AddictionRecoveryBasics.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/10-Tips-Quick-And-Easy-Tips-To-Improve-Your-Listening-Skills/106692

 
 
 
This article has been viewed 25 times.

More "Communication Training" Related Articles

 

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Communication Training" article category.

People interested in the above article "10 Tips Quick And Easy Tips To Improve Your Listening Skills" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

Expert Author: Michael Lee | Submitted: 2008-07-11 | Word Count: 359 | Views: 10
Conversational hypnosis tricks and persuasion techniques are like spy submarines. You can go about doing what you want, without the other person knowing they are being persuaded. You engage in a conversation while inserting trigger phrases or sentences, which will eventually get you the kind of reaction you want. When it comes to conversational hypnosis tricks and persuasion techniques, whatever you say to another person will bounce back to you.
Expert Author: Michael Lee | Submitted: 2008-07-10 | Word Count: 310 | Views: 9
We might not notice it, but it’s quite hard to look for the right words to use as conversation starters when talking to people you barely know. It’s quite easy to start one with friends and family, but we are usually tongue-tied when it comes to strangers. You need to say the right conversation starters to catch their attention, as well as turning the communication process into an interesting one.
Expert Author: Michael Lee | Submitted: 2008-07-07 | Word Count: 376 | Views: 11
Some people think that using persuasion techniques is the same as manipulating someone to get what they want. However, manipulation is different from persuasion. Persuasion techniques are used to influence people to your way of thinking, but they should not force anyone to do something they don’t like. Manipulation is tricking others, oftentimes in a self-serving manner.
Expert Author: Michael Lee | Submitted: 2008-07-03 | Word Count: 370 | Views: 7
It's another celebration in the conference room. Apparently, your colleague Jack has once again sealed a crucial deal with a very important client. You walk over to congratulate him, all the while wondering how Jack does what he does. Everybody else is probably thinking of the same thing. What does Jack have that the rest of you don't?
Expert Author: Michael Lee | Submitted: 2008-06-30 | Word Count: 363 | Views: 7
Mind control techniques have become the new art of persuasion. These techniques help you get what you want, without necessarily having to subject someone under a spell. When someone speaks of mind control techniques, you might immediately envision a strange, bearded man with a pendulum. However, these days, it’s not really just a circus act anymore.
Expert Author: Jennie Gandhi | Submitted: 2008-06-30 | Word Count: 391 | Views: 19
People cannot not communicate... the fact is that the way one communicates reflects one's innermost self, one's skills, one's confidence. Good and free communication in a team or between two people is therapeutic. To learn more on good communication and team works read this article.
Expert Author: Michael Lee | Submitted: 2008-06-29 | Word Count: 359 | Views: 48
Don’t you just envy how some people seem to get their way more often than not? These people always seem to have all the right words and all the right moves. However, if you take the time to actually study these people, you may be surprised to discover that they have more than just a few persuasion techniques in common. Read this article to discover how to tap into this extraordinary power.

 View Popular Communication Training Articles | View Top Communication Training Authors

Article Directory Home Self Improvement Communication Training

Can't find what you're looking for? Try Google Search!
(Search in 23 languages: English, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, German,
Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Dutch, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Greek,
Swedish, Romanian, Polish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, Czech, Croatian, Bulgarian)
 
 
Copyright © 2005 - by Larry Lim, Singapore - Article Search Engine Directory at ArticleSphere.com™
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. All Trademarks and Servicemarks are the property of the respective owners.
Template Design by Larry Lim | Internet Marketing
Français/French Español/Spanish 日本語/Japanese [أربيك]/Arabic Italiano/Italian Deutsch/German 汉语/Chinese Simplified 漢語/Chinese Traditional Nederlands/Dutch 한국어/Korean Port/Portuguese Русско/Russian
Ελληνικά/Greek Swedish Roman?/Romanian Polski/Polish Norwegian Suomi/Finnish Dansk/Danish ?esky/Czech Hrvatski/Croatian §¢§ì§Ý§Ô§Ñ§â§ã§Ü§Ú/Bulgarian English - Original language