Active listening skills
Barriers to active listening:
-Distractions- Physical or emotional - Trigger words - Vocabulary - Limited attention span - Listeners personal interpretations, attitudes, biases - Interrupting - Shifting response - Cultural and personal differences
Paraphrase
-Listen for emotional meaning - Respond with underlaying emotion- "you seem frustrated" - Repeat- Use speakers own words or paraphrase
What is active listening?
A communication technique that requires the listener to understand, interpret, recount and evaluate what they hear. It is a structured way of listening and responding to others, focusing the attention on the speaker.
Responding
Speaker will look for verbal and nonverbal responses to determine if they are being listened to. Use minimal encouragers (yes, uh huh, nod, etc.)
Comprehending
Understanding what the person is saying
Tactics to active listening
Body language Paraphrase the speakers words
Body language
Body posture Gestures Facial expressions Eye movements
Three primary elements that comprise active listening:
Comprehending Retaining Responding