Practice Active Listening

“Active listening” is a way of encouraging others to keep talking and to be sure you understand what they are saying to you.

Most people during a conversation give enough attention to find their opportunity to talk. Active listening practices will allow your conversation partner(s) to know that you are fully engaged in the conversation.

It’s tempting to lose focus and tune out occasionally, but you’ll forge much stronger connections if you pay attention. The other person will notice how engaged you seem. In addition, it’s much easier to ask relevant questions and remember details to bring up later if you’re not listening with one ear.

How to encourage your conversational partner

Encouraging your conversational partner through active listening with short phrases and words. When the other person is speaking, encourage them to keep talking by using these words and phrases.

• I see…
• uh, huh…
• Really?
• Tell me more…
• Ok, so what happened next…
• And then…

Encouraging the other speaker can triple the length of the information from your conversation partner.