Mindful Listening

Hopefully you can see that the issue was simply that they were unprepared.

listeners do not receive the same level of praise, attention, instruction, or credibility as speakers. They should!

Here are three more tips to help you better prepare that listening stage:

1. Always approach listening as an active and intentional process that involves standing back from your own thoughts and fully concentrating on what the other person is saying. Recognize the importance of careful listening and understand that true listening requires effort and focus.
2. Acknowledge the significance of looking people in the eyes while they speak. Use eye contact to lock on to the speaker's message and consciously ignore distractions and disruptions in your environment.
3. Recognize the importance of nonverbal communication, which can account for a significant portion of the overall communication experience. Practice reading between the lines by paying attention to body language and voice inflection, as these elements often convey unspoken messages.

Appreciative listening is when the listener focuses on deriving enjoyment from what is being communicated. This can be akin to listening to music for pleasure. C

don’t focus on the factual details—these are not relevant. Don’t be the “well, actually” person.

Summarize or paraphrase key points to show understanding and strengthen the connection with the speaker.

Utilize affirmative body language—position toward the speaker, nod, and vocalize agreement.

Cease other activities, maintain eye contact, and nod affirmatively.

When to Use: Use appreciative listening when the primary goal is to derive enjoyment or inspiration from the communication.

Appreciative listening is when the listener focuses on deriving enjoyment from what is being communicated.