In a workplace environment, active listening is a key skill for fostering a collaborative and efficient working culture. It goes beyond simply hearing what the speaker is saying; it involves paying full attention and processing the information critically. This improves the quality of communication, reduces misunderstandings and strengthens working relationships. But how can we apply it in our daily work?
What is active listening?
Active listening is the ability to focus on the speaker, understand their message, remember what they say and respond thoughtfully. It is a technique that involves several elements, such as eye contact, feedback, verbal and non-verbal communication, and asking relevant questions.
What are the benefits of active listening?
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Improves problem solving: By listening attentively, the team can identify issues more quickly and address them effectively.
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Encourages innovation: Active listening makes employees feel heard and valued, motivating them to share ideas and thoughts.
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Builds trust: Employees form stronger bonds, respect each other more and feel more valued.
In what situations can we use active listening?
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Team meetings: During meetings, instead of passively listening to others' presentations, participants can use active listening to ask questions and show interest in what is being suggested. Make sure you are fully present and avoid distractions such as emails and messages. Take notes and use non-verbal communication to show that you are following the conversation.
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Job interviews: Both the interviewer and the interviewee can benefit from active listening. By listening, the interviewer can tailor his or her questions to the candidate's answers and go beyond the prepared questions. It is important that no one interrupts the other while they are speaking and that questions and answers are linked to what has been said before, thus demonstrating attention.
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Team feedback: The person giving feedback should ensure that the other person feels understood and heard. Allow them to express their opinions and thoughts about their performance before making suggestions, and show empathy throughout the process.
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Workplace conflicts: In conflict situations, active listening helps to better understand different points of view and facilitates finding solutions that are fair to both parties. To resolve differences, it's important to listen without judgement, rephrase what you understand to confirm the information, make sure both parties feel heard and check that everyone understands the proposed solutions.
How to develop active listening in the day-to-day running of the business
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Create a distraction-free environment and minimise interruptions during important meetings and conversations to encourage focus.
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Encourage feedback between team members. Active listening is most effective when it becomes a regular process within the organisation.
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Provide training in active listening techniques and equip the team with communication skills.
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Practice empathy and try to understand the feelings and thoughts of others.
Active listening helps improve internal communication and builds a culture of respect, trust and cooperation in any business environment. Mastering this skill will undoubtedly make a difference to the effectiveness and quality of meetings, feedback and problem solving, among other situations where it can be applied.
