Hearing is rather easy for most of us; our body does the work by interpreting the sounds that we hear into words.

To learn how to actively listen, consider using Active Listening Training Course offered by pdtraining in Sydney and many other cities in Australia.

Listening, on the other hand, is much more difficult. Listening is a process of hearing the words, and taking into consideration the other factors around the words (such as our non-verbal communication), and then interpreting the entire message correctly.

Here are seven things that you can do to start becoming a better listener in Sydney right now. If you try and implement them all immediately, you’ll find yourself unable to actively listen because you’re thinking of all of these techniques, so choose 2-3 and start practicing with those first, then add a few more until you can be an active listener without thinking about it.

1. When you’re listening, listen. Don’t talk on the phone, text message, clean off your desk, or do anything else.  I like to have the other person sit directly across from me.
2. Avoid interruptions. If you think of something that needs to be done, make a mental or written note of it and forget about it until the conversation is over.
3. Don’t Talk. Aim to spend at least 90% of your time listening and less than 10% of your time talking.
4. Stay on track. When you do talk, make sure it’s related to what the other person is saying. Questions to clarify expand, and probe for more information will be key tools.
5. Avoid advising without invitation. Do not offer advice unless the other person asks you for it. If you are not sure what they want, ask!
6. Make sure the physical environment is conducive to listening. Try to reduce noise and distractions. (“Would you mind stepping into my office where I can hear you better?” is a great line to use.) If possible, be seated comfortably. Be close enough to the person so that you can hear them, but not too close to make them uncomfortable.
7. Limit note-taking. If it is a conversation where you are required to take notes, try not to let the note-taking disturb the flow of the conversation. If you need a moment to catch up, choose an appropriate moment to ask for a break.

Understanding Active Listening

Although hearing is a passive activity, one must listen actively to listen effectively, and to actually understand what is being communicated.

There are three basic steps to actively listening in Sydney.

1. Try to identify where the other person is coming from. This concept is also called the frame of reference. For example, your reaction to a bear will be very different if you’re viewing it in a zoo, or from your tent at a campsite. Your approach to someone talking about a sick relative will differ depending on their relationship with that person.
2. Listen to what is being said closely and attentively.
3. Respond appropriately. Use either non-verbal (such as a nod to indicate you are listening), with a question (to ask for clarification), or by paraphrasing.  Note that paraphrasing does not mean repeating the speaker’s words back to them like a parrot. It does mean repeating what you think the speaker said in your own words.  Some examples: “It sounds like that made you confused,” or, “So what you’re saying is the process need to be improved.” (Using the “It sounds like…” precursor, or something similar, gives the speaker the opportunity to correct you if your interpretation is wrong.

Sending Good Signals to Others

When we are listening to others speak, there are three kinds of cues that we can give the other person. Using the right kind of cue at the right time is crucial for maintaining a good level of communication.

• Non-Verbal: As shown in the Mehrabian study, body language plays an important part in our communications with others. Head nods and an interested facial expression will show the speaker that you are listening.
• Quasi-Verbal: Fillers words like, “uh-huh,” and “mm-hmmm,” show the speaker that you are awake and interested in the conversation.
• Verbal: Asking open questions using the six roots discussed earlier (who, what, where, when, why, how), paraphrasing, and asking summary questions, are all key tools for active listening. (We will look at questioning skills in a moment.)

These cues should be used as part of your active listening process.

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Pdtraining delivers 1000’s of professional development courses each year in Brisbane, Sydney, Parramatta, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth, so you can be assured your training will be delivered by a qualified and experienced trainer.

All public Active Listening Training courses include am/pm tea, lunch, printed courseware and a certificate of completion.  Customised courses are available upon request so please contact pdtraining on 1300 121 400 to learn more.