Three Tips to Becoming an Active Listener

Whether attending a seminar, class, special keynote presentation or other workshop; listening is an important key to increasing your knowledge.  In this article I will share three tips or techniques to becoming a more active listener.  Before beginning; I would like to mention that there are two types of listening:  active and passive.  When you attend a concert or want to sit back and relax you would use passive listening; however when one wants to increase their knowledge or learn something, active listening would be more appropriate..

            Active listening is often times confused with passive listening and many people wonder why they are not learning anything new or remembering what was said.  One tip to becoming an active listener is to sit up straight, feet on the floor, and pretend you are a particular animal.  For example I often suggest that one be a lion or a tiger and sit on the edge of your chair and listen the way that, that creature would.  Imagine; you are in the surrounding of your animal’s habitat and be alert for any slight sound or visual change.  Remember that this is a skill you will need to practice over and over again till it becomes second nature and you could see yourself hearing a pin drop in the forest.  Every word and syllable will intrigue you to listen more intently. 

            Another thing you can do is to take brief notes on what is said; or mind joggers that you can go back to later and review.  First, get a notebook or laptop and take brief notes on the topic to be talked about. Then in the margin jot down one or two thoughts about how the current point and how you feel about that.

            Before you attend the lecture, presentation or keynote address do a little homework on your own.  Research the topic on the internet or in your local library and read something to establish a baseline.  Many times people won’t actively listen; not because they don’t want too, but because there is no foundation to build upon.   This doesn’t mean that if your attending a conference about aviation and aircrafts that you should be knowledgeable about every fact ever written to date about the issue.   What it does mean; is that you should make sure you understand what aviation is and how it has helped people in our world. 

            A water pump won’t move water from one place to another unless it is primed with water first.  People often times need initial information about a topic or idea before they can associate other ideas and learn.

            Thus, in summary the three tips for becoming an active listener:  one pretend your are and animal and to imagine you see the world with the hearing and sight of  that creature.  Second, take brief notes on each point and place personal feelings about the point discussed in the margin.  Third, remember that all stable building need a solid foundation and in listening that building block is initial information you choose to research.  Remember, that all of these techniques will improve with practice and increase your ability to listen to almost any professional lecturer or speaker.

Warmest, regards

The Training Doctor

 http://thetrainingdoctor.com
 

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