A Self Reflection on Active-Listening Skills

A Self Reflection on Active-Listening Skills

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A Self Reflection on Active-Listening Skills

Effective listening is an essential skill for any successful communication, both in the professional and college environment (Zenger & Folkman, 2016). However, there are many barriers to effective listening that hinder our ability to actively and mindfully listen. According to Ury (2014), one barrier to effective listening is making assumptions about what the speaker is saying. This can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication. Another barrier to effective listening is the tendency to interrupt or talk over the speaker. This can create feelings of frustration and disapproval, and can prevent the speaker from being able to fully express his or her thoughts and feelings.

In order to become a more active, mindful, and genuine listener, I will first focus on avoiding assumptions and jumping to conclusions. I will strive to pause and think before responding to the speaker, in order to ensure that I accurately understand what they are saying. Additionally, I will strive to avoid interrupting or talking over the speaker. If I do feel the urge to interject, I will strive to pause and indicate that I have something to add, so as to not cut off the speaker. I will also strive to focus on the speaker’s body language and tone of voice to ensure that I accurately understand their message.

I will also strive to be an active listener by asking questions to ensure that I fully understand what the speaker is saying. According to Headlee (2016), “questions are the best way to ensure that you are actually listening to the other person, and that you understand what they’re saying.” Additionally, I will strive to confirm my understanding of the speaker’s message by summarizing what they have just said. By making these changes, I hope to become a more active, mindful, and genuine listener.

References

Headlee, C. (2016, October). 10 ways to have a better conversation. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation?language=en

Ury, W (2014). The walk from “No” to “Yes”. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/william_ury_the_walk_from_no_to_yes?language=en

Zenger, J., & Folkman, J. (2016). What great listeners actually do. Harvard Business Review, 14. https://ncwwi.org/files/LAMM/eLearning_files/What_Great_Listeners_Actually_Do.pdf