Why You Should Consider Improving Your Listening Skills
You’re right, it’s not a listicle about writing. But an effective listener is a great communicator
“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.”
― The Dalai Lama
Here we’re all readers and writers. But out there in the busy world, most of us, if not all, are speakers and listeners.
Today, it’s easy to think we know a lot about communication.
We do it every day. We talk with other people over the phone. Or we talk with them over a cup of coffee, a glass of wine if you prefer — safety measures considered, of course.
Sometimes, you get your head buried in a conversation, and you can speak tirelessly for hours.
Yet, in a world where a lot of people are skilled communicators, misunderstandings still take place.
There’s plenty of people blessed with eloquence who exist today. But occasionally, ideas are still misunderstood by several people, no matter how good a speaker is.
Once in a while, people forget that communication doesn’t only involve the speaker along with the message they want to convey.
The part often overlooked is effectively listening to give feedback when necessary.
I live in a country that likes to party until six in the morning. In a social group setting, locals tend to speak almost all at the same time, which makes me curious if they understand each other.
As an introvert who is an advocate for effective listening, I suggest you consider these reasons why it’s an advantage to sharpen your listening skills.
Good listeners are good speakers
When we want to improve our writing, professionals advise us to write a lot and read a lot too.
The same advice goes for those who want to be better, effective speakers. Effective speakers are also good listeners.
When you listen, you receive information, understand messages, and even learn new ideas. You take in various speaking styles, and you gain new perspectives on what interests the audience.
When you know what captures the audience’s attention, you can effectively speak with them, which in turn creates an effective communication process between the people involved.
Effective listening skills can make you an effective leader
Effective communication is paramount to keep the business running smoothly. You know this if you’re a team manager or even run a company.
Spreading vital information through speaking is necessary because without doing so, your company will find it difficult to start moving.
Feedback is required to keep the company alive. And to get it, you need to listen to both your clients and your employees.
You created the business to serve your customers, and you hired your employees to help you run your business.
It’s reasonable you listen to both groups because they sure know how to drive where you want your company to go.
Even when you’re not exactly in the position of a leader, if you know how to listen well, people will perceive you to be one. Because doing so means you’re receptive, understanding, and to them, you’re trustworthy.
Critical listening can help you recognize between facts and assumptions
People are not immune to assumptions.
I’m not, and neither are you. Besides, I’ve written a short article regarding the topic of assumptions here on this platform. If you’re curious, it’s here.
Critical listening is a form of listening where you use the skill to understand, analyze, and find the reason behind the message. It gets you into analytical thinking mode and helps you create feedback when the occasion calls for it.
Information can either be a fact or not.
When a person speaks to you about an idea that makes you doubt, then perhaps it’s reasonable not only to hear what the other person is saying. It’s better to listen and understand the reason behind their idea.
A perfect example of this situation is during election campaigns. If you care about the next person who’s going to be in a high government position, then it’s a wise move to listen to what they’re saying.
You don’t want to be deceived by misleading information, and neither myself. Critical listening can help us put together sound decisions.
Great listening skills create positive relationships
When you listen, you give your time and attention to anyone who’s also giving you their time by speaking with you.
Hearing ideas only touches on the surface, but listening to the message creates a deeper level of understanding.
You know how awkward it feels when no one listens to you. Or worse, some people nod to show they agree and understand what you’ve just said when in reality, they just heard. The message is gone in 60 seconds, or even less.
I’ve tried being on both ends. Some people have heard me, and I’ve heard other people too.
Both instances didn’t make me feel good. I felt bad that no one listened to me. And indeed, I felt awful for not listening to the other person.
Effective listening is more than just understanding the message. It’s also one way of showing respect to the person sharing their time and ideas.
Respect is a two-way street and listening is one way of showing that to the other person.
When respect has been shared both ways, positive relationships are created. You create a positive experience not only with your family and friends but anyone you want to exchange ideas with.
Listening is sometimes underrated, yet it has a multitude of benefits. Hearing is what’s common since it requires less attention and focus.
Some people try to listen, but only because they want to talk back. And that defeats the purpose of effective communication.
We read and write because we appreciate this medium of communication.
But once we’re out there, our daily lives also involve plenty of verbal communication.
Why should you improve your listening skills then?
By being a good listener, you become a better friend, a better partner, a better student, or simply a better person.
Like writing, it’s also a skill to help you become an effective communicator.
You listen and by doing so, you cultivate trust among your relationships, and in turn, you nurture that connection.
By now you already know that positive relationships contribute to achieving contentment in life.