What active listening tools can you use to improve your coaching skills?

Active listening is an art of listening and feeling what has not been spoken as yet and focussing on body language as well as non-verbal cues. It is a very mature form of communication keeping both the communicators on even keel

Active listening is a valuable skill that can enhance communication and strengthen relationships. It involves not just hearing the words being spoken, but also comprehending the underlying message, emotions, and intentions conveyed. By actively listening, you demonstrate genuine interest, respect, and empathy, creating a safe and supportive space for open communication. Pay attention to speakers :What are they saying? How are they saying it? What are the key pointsObserve the speaker's body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice to gain deeper insights into their feelings Active listening is not about passively waiting for your turn to speak; it's about actively engaging with the speaker to create a shared understanding

Remove every distraction that you can. Active listening begins with being ready to focus, having no distractions in your way, and being ready to take notes and ask questions. Practicing paraphrasing back to your colleague will help making it natural and conversational, to ensure what you’re are hearing is accurate, has the right tone, and you have the correct context as well.

For me the art of listening is nothing that can be managed by applying specific tools. It is first of all an attitude. In general I prefer also the term "generative listening" - a space to be heard, a space for thoughts where something really new can emerge. I strongly believe that there are no real tools and techniques. The precondition is the desire to really connect with another human being. And this is something that can not be done with with just open ears and attention to body language. It is a state of mind.

Listening is not only about having an active ear, but it involves all of your body to make sure you are in the present moment to be fully there for others. Active listening is so powerful that it can heal people just by the act of gifting this to others.

In my experience of coaching and mentoring, I would like to add the importance of active listening point-wise: 1. It makes the other person feel and heard. 2. It helps build an authentic and genuine relationship. 3. The person makes a heart to heart connection. 4. People would share the core problems only when they feel connected. 5. The solution lies in listening. 6. It's about being with them for them in the need of hour. It's about being a real human.

"Yes, And..." is a fundamental principle of Improvisational Theatre. It's also a winner when it comes to active listening since it is about keeping energy in the conversations rather than 'blocking'. When we keep affirming what the other is saying, sometimes though sub-vocal noises like, "Uhu.." and then invite them to expand, we pour energy into the engagement.

There are two types of listening: Listening with our ears and listening with our eyes. Listening with our ears is a passive act of hearing sounds. Listening with our eyes is an active act of paying attention and giving someone your full attention. In today's world, where we meet in person one day and virtually the next, learning to listen with our eyes in both settings allows coaches to use their eyes to show that they are listening attentively. When we listen with both our eyes and our ears we actively signal to our coachee that they are Seen Heard Understood, and most importantly what they are sharing with us is Honored and Respected.

Active listening is a foundational skill for coaching. Unless the coach is not fully 'present' in the conversation, she/ he cannot aid the exploration of the coachee's full potential. Such listening, when done right, not just is critical for the coaching process, but is a great enabler of trust and can instill faith (in the coach) in the mind of the coachee.

Active listening can be practiced by focusing not only on the spoken, but also unspoken i.e. on the emotions and also letting the coachee know through acknowledgements, paraphrasing, sharing observations etc that you are fully present.

Be present - show you are interested and engaged via non-verbal cues such as eye contact, nodding and smiling. Reflect/Clarify - when it is your time to talk, do not jump straight into your perspective. Question, reflect on what the other person has just said, ask for clarification if needed rather than assume. Don't interrupt - let the person finish, as interrupting suggests you are not really interested in their opinion/view. Don't argue, debate - if the discussion is around opposing views, try to find common ground and debate on facts, not emotions.

Active listening is a communication technique where the listener fully focuses, understands, and responds to a speaker. It involves giving full attention, providing feedback, and demonstrating empathy to enhance understanding and build rapport in conversations.

Some of the core fundamentals that can be practiced to develop this skill include: a. Listening beyond what is being said - Only when the coach is listening intently, is when she/he can unravel the layers. b. Exploring beyond the obvious - Human emotions and thinking often are non-linear and multi-leveled. Not assuming the intent and the meaning is key. c. Suspending own judgment - Not evaluating the coachee or her/ his thoughts and actions is critical for an effective coaching conversation. d. Not getting caught in own emotions and thoughts - Often threads shared by the coachee will be relatable. Not getting entangled in them is critical for helping the coachee move forward.

Active listening can be practiced by: Eye to eye contact. Lending proper ears. Opening hearts, being empathetic. Reading body posture. Understanding the subject/concerns. Relating to it and putting ourselves in those shoes. Creating a sense of support. Being non-judgmental. Appreciating and accepting the person the way they are. Being respectful and courteous. Overall, A clear sense of interest in the person, their concerns and attitude towards helping them.

The main benefit of the active listening in coaching sessions is that the session will be deeper. Also the client also feels when the coach is wandering. So as it was said, the active listening could help with building trust and more transparent communications.

Active listening helps in many ways. For the coachee, it can enable better self-awareness, since the coach will enable deep exploration. For the coach, it can aid effective mining of thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, leading to effective coaching outcomes. Also, active listening helps the coach 'be in the moment'. Developing such mindfulness which is a great benefit for personal development. Active listening also enables trust in the coach-coachee relationship.

Active listening is a starting point for deep listening, which goes well beyond techniques and provides a space for clients to understand themselves better. Deep listening is free of judgement on the part of the coach. It allows time for silence and provides space for new insights to emerge for the client.

In my experience active listening is primarily about eye contact, body language and not being distracted by mobile phones or other conversations. Asking open questions like what, when and how build relationships and encourage active communication. We have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.

Active listening requires both the coach and coachee to do their parts. A key challenge may be in terms of presence. The coach has to be fully present (physically, emotionally, and mentally). Also, it is the coach's prerogative to check that the coachee is also fully present. Another key challenge may be a lack of trust. Maintaining confidentiality and providing support throughout the process can help the coach cover the deficit. The paucity of time can also act as a significant challenge when it comes to active listening for an effective coaching conversation.

Active listing always comes through the experience only. Just grasping the words is not active listing but, durring conversation response and emotion are very important. For the prectic, we can see small videos whatever we like and try to record it in same way with similar words and emotions

When doing remote coaching over Zoom, Teams or Google Meet, try to have the camera on. Active listening includes visual queues. How does someone react to a question? What is their posture? How are they dressed? We pickup on many things when we are face to face. Those sometimes get lost when we are remote, so we need to be extra intentional on our focus.