The Importance of Good Listening Skills

• No matter if you know a child or an adult who needs help with listening skills, the problem can seem overwhelming. Not only is it frustrating when you have to repeat yourself, but at times it might feel like there is no communication.
  
  At work, communication skills are essential not only with your supervisor, but also with your peers, clients or customers. If a person is not listening intently, communication is lost. Often people do not listen completely and are thinking about something else while someone is talking. This behavior creates conflicts, misinterpretation or overlooked information.
  
  Listening skills are a learned behavior. And for good communication, everyone needs good listening skills. According to the University of Michigan's Human Resource Development department, listening is an active process and a skill that is learned.
  
  There are many ways to develop good listening skills. With practice and diligence, most anyone can become a good listener. Although many researchers say good listening skills are developed the first few years of life, you are never too old to develop better listening skills.
  
  

Keys to Become a Better Listener

• The first step in becoming a better listener is to start by not letting your mind wander as the speaker is talking. If you catch your mind drifting, then gently remind yourself to focus on the words being said. It helps if you repeat in your mind what the speaker is saying; that way, you know you are actually hearing what is being said.
  
  The next step is identifying what is being said. If you are not listening, then it is hard to know what the speaker is trying to convey. You can comprehend the speaker's words by relating the words to something you understand. If you do not understand what the speaker is saying, ask questions without interrupting.
  
  It is good to give feedback when the speaker is done talking. When you provide feedback, you have the opportunity to see if you understood what was being said . Feedback also forms good communication and shows the speaker that you care about what he is saying.
  
  Another helpful hint on being a good listener is to not criticize what is being said but to be active in the conversation. A good listener will be sympathetic to a speaker's view as opposed to challenging what is being said.
  
  A point to remember is to never assume what the speaker is going to say next. Often when you assume, you are missing the main point of what the person is trying to say. Even if you do know what the speaker is going to say, just remember that a good listener will be courteous and let the speaker finish talking.
  
  

Forgettting Names

• If you have ever had a hard time remembering people's names, you are not alone. Forgetting a name can be embarrassing, especially when you go to introduce them to someone. Yet remembering someone's name is a listening skill. Some tips on recollecting a name is to look the person in the eye when you are being introduced. It is helpful if you repeat the name in your head at least three times. You can also repeat their name out loud, for example: "Nice to meet you, Jacqueline."
  
  

Conclusion

• It requires focus and determination to become a good listener. But once you are in the habit of listening, you will be rewarded with better communication among others. Just give yourself time, and don't give up.