Active Listening

Listening is rightly denominated the motherskill in communication. In fact the ability to listen distinguishes the great fcommuncators from the merely good. Active Listening is the art of listening with full concentration so as to completely understand what the speaker is saying. It enables effectiveness and Stephen Covey advocates Active Listening as an important ingredient for practicing the 5th Habit - Seek First to Understand Then to be Understood.

Here are FIVE Simple Tips for becoming an Active Listener:

1. Allow the other person to complete his entire message.
   
2. Don’t Interrupt. But provide Verbal and Non-Verbal Support.
   Example: Nodding, Smile, prompting, Open body position, Forward movement of the Head and Trunk
3. Take Notes continuously.
4. After the other person has spoken fully ask Clarificatory and Open Ended Questions
5. Summarize the understanding clearly.