How To Become an Active Listener

Quality listening is a skill that is important both in life and in careers.

Business psychology professor Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic says we can become better listeners by practising four key enablers.

Focus

Distractions, stress, worries and multitasking steal our focus and make us poor listeners. Focus on the speech by paying undivided attention.

Empathy

Our empathy switch remains off and on depending on our moods and who we relate to. If you cannot show empathy to an unknown speaker, practise rational compassion instead.

Self-control

You must let the speaker finish their speech without interrupting. Control the impulse to intervene in the middle of the address.

Inclusion

It would help if you signalled to the speaker you have listened to closely by citing their specific arguments in your reply.

Please seek feedback to improve your listening skills.