To Be Heard: 5 Ways to Practice Active Listening in the Workplace

How can you practice active listening in the workplace? Every good leader must have the skill to actively listen to their members since this is the silent superpower in the workplace. Active listening skills can transform the way of working, as active listening is a must in every team. Practicing active listening skills, not only enhances communication skills in the workplace but also shows respect to our conversation partner.

Why Listening Matters in Every Workplace

To maintain professional relationships, we need to build trust with each other. To build trust, we need to listen actively. Doing active listening exercises shows that you are an effective listener, and doing mindful listening shows your great listening ability. Not only that but since COVID-19, people have gotten even lonelier. By doing effective listening, indicates that you care for your conversation partner, whether in verbal or nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication includes many examples, such as body language, eye contact, etc.

Listening Actively: Key to Productivity

Listening at the workplace is also the hidden key to a productive workplace because it’s an essential skill. This is also proof that your team and workplace have psychological safety. Leaders need to note when members don’t feel listened to, it can lead to workplace loneliness, disengagement, low productivity, and discouragement – especially remote work employees. This means, that having active listening skills will save leaders a lot of time to build team productivity.

How to Practice Active Listening to Ensure Effective Communication

Here are some active listening techniques that leaders can apply and make them a good active listener:

Create the Right Environment

First, create the right environment. The right environment means leaders must eliminate and minimize distractions because this can lead to critical listening. Ensure your workspace is free from interruptions. Have an office with closed doors, silence phones, and eliminate background noise to signal to the speaker that their message is important. This also shows great interpersonal skills.

Before engaging in a conversation, take a few deep breaths to clear your mind and think before you speak. This helps you focus on the speaker without judgment, and effective communication skills can be shown. Encourage deeper conversation by asking thoughtful questions like, “How did that make you feel?” or “Can you tell me more about that?”. Try to practice reflective listening by summarizing what the speaker has said in your own words to ensure you have understood their meaning and that you’re fully engaged and building healthy relationships.

Use Effective Body Language

First, try to maintain eye contact this shows that you are engaged and interested in what the speaker is saying. Nodding and leaning slightly forward can further enhance attentiveness and maintain meaningful conversations. Adopt a body language that conveys openness and receptiveness, which encourages the speaker to share more freely. Pay attention to body language, cause this shows that you’re an attentive listener.

Show Empathy and Transparent Communication

Acknowledge emotions by recognizing and validating the speaker’s feelings and asking relevant questions. Phrases like “I see. It seems this situation is challenging for you to overcome. Do you need my help?” can help convert empathy and understanding, building stronger relationships. Next, allow the speaker to finish their thoughts without interruption. This demonstrates respect and helps maintain a constructive dialogue.

Practice Active Listening Techniques

At the end of the discussion, summarize key points to ensure clarity and mutual understanding. Next, encourage silence – allow pauses in conversation. This gives both parties time to think and reflect on what has been said.

Next, try a “Listening Challenge” – over the next week, make it a point to actively listen during one conversation each day. Reflect on how the conversation went, what point you missed, and how you can improve for the next time, cause this makes you an effective leader.

Continuous Improvement

Try to engage in role-playing scenarios where one person acts as a speaker while another practices active listening techniques. This can help reinforce skills in a controlled environment. Next, try the feedback loop. After conversations, seek feedback on each member’s listening skills from colleagues to identify areas for improvement.