Why Active Listening is the Foundation of Effective Communication
We tend to think of listening as something we just do, not something we ever really need to think about. However, by not thinking about listening… you might be missing out on developing one of life’s most important skills.
Being an active listener means being truly tuned in to what another person is saying, and it is valuable across every aspect of your life, but perhaps nowhere is it more useful than in the workplace. It’s no secret that when it comes to working in any kind of team or relationship, there is nothing more important than effective communication. We spend a lot of time thinking about how we can communicate our ideas effectively to others, but our ability to listen is too often overlooked and perhaps equally important.
Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience suggests that we only remember 25 to 50 percent of what we hear. How can we be sure we are receiving the most important information in that 25 to 50 percent? Learning to actively listen helps remove that concern.
As a manager or team leader, not listening to those you manage properly can lead to them feeling unsupported, undervalued, insignificant or frustrated. This can lead to job dissatisfaction, which may lead to a lessened work ethic from employees and a less productive business.
Active listening will help you understand those you manage better, earn their trust and loyalty, and reduce misunderstandings. All of these things create a healthier and more productive work environment, where the ideas of everyone are heard, the feelings of every individual are understood, and the goals are clear across the board.
Active listening is important for those not in leadership positions too. We all have to work in teams, where better outcomes will be produced when everyone’s ideas are truly heard and considered. Likewise, any job that comes face to face with customers, buyers or other consumers of any kind requires active listening. When you show that you are listening to others, you give off a better impression, which influences perceptions of you. All of this aids in your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate.
At Trainer Bubble, we offer a highly interactive and engaging e-learning course to help your employees (or yourself) learn how to become successful active listeners. Our one-off purchase resources help learners to understand what active listening is and how it works; appreciate the importance of active listening in the workplace; develop three key techniques for active listening; use various tools for becoming more effective at communicating, and develop ideas for improving communication.
By training your employees in active listening, you will see positive changes in interpersonal relationships throughout your business which can have a positive impact in a myriad of ways. This includes productivity, company loyalty and work ethic and more positive mindsets.