"Listening is the Only Key to Be a Winner!!! So, Be a Good Listener!!!".

A good listener is attentive. They make good eye contact, don't interrupt what the other person is saying and show an interest in what is being communicated. ... A good listener does not look over the shoulder of the person that's speaking, waiting for someone more interesting to come along.Being a good listener is more than just allowing the other person to speak and you being nearby. You have to take in what the person is saying and sometimes go deeper. You may have to read between the lines, ask questions, and offer support

What are the characteristics of a good listener?

Here are seven tips to good listening that I found easy to learn and quite useful:

Do not interrupt. Allow the people you are communicating with to share their feelings and thoughts uninterrupted. Empathize with them; put yourself in their shoes. If you first seek to understand, you will find yourself being better understood. Be an active listener. This means that you must act really interested in what other people are communicating. Listen to what they are saying instead of thinking about your response. Ask questions to gain more information or clarify what they are telling you. Good questions open lines of communication.

Be a reflective listener. Restate or reflect back to others your interpretation of what they are telling you. This simple technique shows them that you are both listening to and understanding what they are saying. Restating what you think is being said may cause short-term conflict in some situations, but it is certainly worth the risk. Just explain that you want to be certain you understand what others are trying to say. Wait to speak until the people you want to communicate with are listening. If they are not ready to listen, no matter how well you communicate, your message will not be heard.

Don't try to talk over somebody. If you find yourself being interrupted, relax. Don't try to out talk the other person. If you are courteous and allow others to speak, eventually (unless they are extremely rude), they will respond likewise. If they don't point out that they are interrupting the communication process. You can do this only if you yourself have been a good listener. Double standards in relationships seldom work. Help others become active listeners. Ask them if they understood what you were communicating. Ask them to tell you what they heard. If they don't seem to understand what you are saying, keep explaining until they do. Don't be afraid of long silences. Human communication involves much more than words. Unfortunately, in many situations silence can make us feel uncomfortable, but a great deal can be communicated during silences. Relax. Some people need silence to collect their thoughts and feel safe in communicating. The important thing to remember during silences is that you must remain an active listener.

Listening is more than having good communication skills. It is about having an attitude, or general spirit, of honoring and seeking another person's perspective and a genuine interest in getting to know them.

How we talk to people makes a big difference. Traditionally we focus on content the what of communication. Typically we pay very little attention to how we say things. Yet how we communicate with others is as important, if not more so, as what we are trying to say. How we communicate affects how people feel, and this affects the choices they make.

Listening in communication is not about convincing someone to do something or providing the right information. It suggests that we seek to be respectful, that we care for people, and that we desire to form partnerships or collaborative relationships with them. Instead of having the goal be to communicate information, our goal should be to build a relationships. This requires an attitude of honoring each person's perspective and a genuine interest in getting to know people. 

Fortunately, fairly simple communication strategies can be effective in helping people feel supported, understood, and comfortable in forming a relationship with you. These same simple communication strategies also minimize disagreements which that make the relationship with your client uncomfortable. By maximizing support and minimizing disagreements, we will help get people connected and that connection is what leads to adherence to an exercise program.

To get to this place there are two initial key skills:

Ask open ended questions which allows people to talk.

Reflect the other person's response to get clarification on what you are hearing and what they are saying. When reflecting it's important to not add your thoughts, feelings or advice but to paraphrase what the other person has said and stick with the direction they need or want to go.

How do I be a good listener?

If you'd like to sharpen your skills, here's how to be a good listener:

1. Remove or avoid distractions. ...
2. Watch for non-verbal communication and tone of voice. ...
3. Be the mirror. ...
4. Empathize, sympathize, and show interest. ...
5. Practice silence. ...
6. Ask probing questions. ...
7. Don't interrupt or change the subject. ...
8. Think before responding.

Good listeners can . . .

• improve relationships in their personal and professional lives, as people tend to like those who listen to them;
• better solve problems for others and themselves;
• learn different points of views to broaden their own perspective;
• retain more important information which is useful for life and career success;
• make decisions easily because they have more information at their disposal;
• avoid conflicts and misunderstandings, as they gain more clarity through listening well;
• increase their confidence because they have access to information and can pass it on to others.

Being a good listener is similar to having good manners. It's a quality that doesn't seem to be a social requirement any longer, but if you practice it, it sets you apart from the crowd and makes others gravitate toward you.

If you'd like to sharpen your skills, here's how to be a good listener:

1. Remove or avoid distractions.

If you are going to converse with someone (or several people), then take a moment to anticipate possible distractions and remove them. Turn off your cell phone and put it away. Turn your computer off or turn off the sound so you can't hear emails and notifications coming in. Turn off the TV, radio, or any other device that could be distracting.

If someone needs to speak to you, and you're in the middle of a project or task, either ask them to wait until you're done, or stop what you're doing to listen. Multi-tasking doesn't allow for true listening.

If you're in a social setting, and you are speaking one-on-one with someone, try to step aside to a quiet space where you won't be pulled away or interrupted by other people. Definitely don't look over the other person's shoulder while they're talking to see who else is in the room.

2. Watch for non-verbal communication and tone of voice.

Hearing someone's words is just a small part of being a good listener. We communicate far more through our expressions, body language, and tone of voice.

When you are listening to someone, also watch them carefully. Are their arms crossed defensively, or are they sitting in an open, confident manner? Are they saying, “Everything's fine” with their words, but their face looks pinched and anxious?

Also, listen to how they present what they have to say. Do they sound tired, depressed, enthusiastic, confused? Are they mumbling, talking too loudly, or stating everything as though it were a question?

Learn the art of reading what people are really saying beyond their words. This can help you be more compassionate and understanding of people — and it can help you avoid getting involved with someone who appears deceitful, disinterested, or controlling.

3. Be the mirror.

A great technique for active listening is mirroring the person you are listening to. Without appearing to mimic them, try to reflect back their same tone of voice and speech pattern. You can also mirror their gestures and body language.

Mirroring helps build rapport with the other person, and it encourages the feeling that you share similar attitudes and ideas.

You can also reflect the concept or ideas you just heard communicated from the other person to reinforce that you understood and heard what they said. This is particularly important in your intimate relationships or in conflict situations.

For example, the other person might say, “I feel really hurt when you don't help me clean up after dinner.” You might summarize and restate, “So what I'm hearing you say is that when I don't help you clean up, it causes you pain.” You reflect words back to show you understood them correctly and that you care what was communicated.

4. Empathize, sympathize, and show interest.

You can show your interest and connection in a conversation through your own expressions, body language, and words.

Nod in agreement to show you are engaged and listening. Lean forward toward the other person. Smile or show concern appropriately. Offer words of affirmation and kindness. Give a hand squeeze or a warm touch on the shoulder to show empathy.

These subtle communications speak volumes about your level of engagement, concern, and interest.

5. Practice silence.

Sometimes the very best way to listen is to allow a space of silence in the conversation. A verbal response isn't always necessary, and this space of silence invites the speaker to offer more of what they are thinking and feeling.

It's uncomfortable to sit in silence for more than a few seconds, but push past the discomfort and just sit with it. Sometimes the most powerful connections are made in that silent space.

6. Ask probing questions.

As a coach, I use powerful questions frequently with my clients to help them uncover answers and solutions for themselves.

I use open-ended questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” response. Open-ended questions invite deeper insight and discourse between the two of you. Simply the act of asking a probing question as a follow-up to a comment shows the other person you are paying attention and interested.

Be sure your questioning doesn't become an interrogation. You want to listen more than you question, but when you do ask a question, it should be well-timed and non-threatening. Something as simple as, “Can you tell me more about that?” is enough to show you are really listening.

7. Don't interrupt or change the subject.

If you want to be a good listener, you need to allow the speaker to complete a thought without interrupting them. You've probably encountered people who frequently interrupt, take over the conversation, and use the audience as a platform for talking about themselves or sharing their knowledge or expertise.

Even if they are doing this unconsciously, it feels as though they haven't heard a word you've said — or that they don't really care about what you have to say.

Before you interject your response or make your case, be sure the other person is finished speaking. Allow for a pause in the conversation long enough to ensure it's your turn to talk.

Also, don't leave the speaker hanging out there with a conversation topic they've started by abruptly changing the subject. Offer a response or an additional thought to the topic before you move on to something you want to talk about.

8. Think before responding.

When it is your time to speak, let your words be a reflection of your careful listening. If you are truly engaged in what the other person is saying, then you aren't focused on what you want to say. So rather that blurting out the first thing that comes to mind, take a moment to think about your response and what you want to offer. If your opinion is solicited, be sure you reflect carefully on what you just heard so you can offer a well-considered reply.

Becoming a good listener is a skill you must practice. It's far too easy to spin off into your own world of distractions, ideas, and words. Consciously work on becoming more of a listener than a talker. Learn to read other people's expressions and body language. Watch for the things that go unsaid but that are still communicated. As you become more skilled at listening, you'll find people gravitate toward you more for your opinion and feedback. You'll have a skill that gives you the edge in your career and in all of your relationships. What do you need to do to become a better listener

Why is it important to listen in the workplace?

Verbal communication involves both speaking and listening. In a business organization, listening is key to effective working relationships among employees and between management and staff. ... To improve your listening skills, give the other person your full attention and maintain eye contact.

Verbal communication involves both speaking and listening. In a business organization, listening is key to effective working relationships among employees and between management and staff. Listening skills also impact a company’s interaction with customers and other businesses. To improve your listening skills, give the other person your full attention and maintain eye contact. When she is done speaking, rephrase her remarks and ask whether you understand her correctly. Continue to ask questions to gain a better understanding of her statements.

Gain Information

Listening enables you to acquire facts so that you can make decisions that benefit your business. By listening to a job applicant in an interview, for example, you might discover his attitudes toward the profession, performance in previous jobs and information not detailed on his resume. This additional insight can help you decide whether the applicant is a good fit for your company. A supervisor who listens to an employee’s complaint about a health risk on the job might reduce injuries and enhance job performance.

Develop Trust

Listening is essential to building trust. If one member of a team doesn’t listen to instructions, an entire project might fail. To develop trust, pay attention to verbal instructions and deadlines. Listen for statements a coworker might make regarding his own strengths and weaknesses as it relates to a project, so that you can collaborate in a way that maximizes each other’s strengths.

Maintain Reputation

The reputation of a business depends upon listening skills. If you fail to listen to a customer, for example, the customer might not receive the service or product she expected. When this occurs repeatedly, it can tarnish the company’s reputation. A company develops relationships with other businesses through verbal communication, too. Talking on the phone and working on a task at the same time can result in misunderstandings.

Reduce Conflict

Listening can reduce conflict. A conflict can arise when an individual feels misunderstood or mistreated. For example, if you fail to listen to instructions and your coworker does the task you were supposed to perform, the coworker might be unhappy with you. Pay attention to nonverbal cues, as well. If an individual’s facial expressions, gestures or behavior contradict her words, ask questions to find out what she really means.

Motivate Employees

A manager can improve morale and productivity by understanding what motivates each employee. Listen to employees to discover what aspects of the job they find most rewarding and challenging. Don’t expect to understand an employee’s needs from a single conversation. Continue to be an attentive listener so that the employee knows you are sincerely interested in what she has to say.

Listening Can Improve Workplace Performance

Listening is an active process that involves focusing on what is said without allowing other thoughts to invade the process. Small business owners and entrepreneurs who employ serious listening skills and foster this ability from their employees will be the most likely to keep their companies growing. Concentrate on listening at work and you should see benefits such as increased productivity, faster progress toward goals and more congenial relationships between employees.

Reduce Misunderstandings

Inc. Magazine warns employers that when they have poor listening skills themselves they will jeopardize their working relationship with employees. Workers know when they are not really being heard and this decreases their sense of worth in your establishment, builds resentment and motivates them to look for other opportunities. Work on your listening skills by training yourself to focus completely on what is being said. Take the employee to a quiet spot where you and she are less likely to be distracted or interrupted. This helps aid your listening ability and shows the employee you are interested in what she has to tell you.

Illustrating Caring Attitude

Listening illustrates your caring attitude as a boss in the company. Employees respond positively to an open-door policy in which they know you will listen intently and do your best to resolve issues. The level of trust rises between yourself and your workers and performance problems decrease. Encourage your staff to listen to one another as well in other to foster employee relationships. This is another instance of showing your concern for employee well-being.

Faster Work Rate

When you and your employees listen to each other regarding how to best accomplish tasks, the work proceeds at a faster rate. Taking this step helps help improve clarity and maintain focus during the task at hand. To help her staff understand the important of good listening, you could provide examples in which active listening either helped or hindered a project.

Less "Do-Overs"

Good listeners learn from what is being said so they are able to use the information at work without making mistakes. When someone does not listen well, however, comprehension is reduced and the production process is likely to slow. According to the Spring Institute for International Studies, employers should first illustrate the relevance of what they are going to say to the employee before it is said to increase his motivation. For example, explain first that he will be expected to use a new machine that day following your verbal instructions. This heads-up will help guarantee his undivided attention while you speak.

How Are Listening Skills Important to Employees?

Employees are encouraged to listen to managers when receiving instructions and getting updates on corporate policy. Much broader benefits can accrue for good employee listening skills beyond receiving directions for job duties. Help your employees understand the advantages of good listening skills by pointing out the ways in which, through heightened listening skills, both the employee and company can realize a higher level of success.

Interpretation

Employees who work on their listening skills find it easier to interpret meaning from conversations. Part of good listening is paying attention to the context the speaker is using and being able to put everything that is being said into that context. It also means asking questions to determine meaning rather than guessing at someone's intentions. Properly interpreting information from a conversation can improve an employee's relationship with clients and help to increase revenue through repeat sales. A client often prefers vendors who take the time to properly understand the context and meaning of a conversation.

Learning

Learning is the broad term used to define the information and experiences an employee gains from listening to what is being said. Training is a structured part of learning. The other part of learning is the ability to listen to advice and other information, and know how to use that information effectively in future situations. When an employee undergoes an experience, it can be a valuable lesson in improving productivity or customer relations. Encourage your employees to develop good listening skills that will help them gather information that can add to the learning experience.

Complete Information

Good listening skills help an employee to determine when she has all of the information she needs on a topic or if she needs to ask for further data. For example, a customer is trying to return a product because he says the product does not work. An employee's strong listening skills will hear a common customer situation and begin to ask the customer to describe the problem. Further listening and interpretation leads the employee to conclude that the customer is using the product incorrectly and to assist the customer in the proper operating procedures. Refined listening skills help an employee to be able to determine what he is not hearing, which indicates missing information.

Co-Workers

Sometimes the ability to listen to a teammate describe a challenging situation can be enough to help strengthen team bonds and improve the efficiency of the group. Good listening skills can also help an employee determine when a co-worker is having serious personal issues that may require the intervention of company management.