3 Ways to Be a Better Listener (60-Second Video) Good listeners tend to make better leaders, business partners and investments. Here's how to amp up your skills.
By Hayden Field
- Think of listening as a choice. Research suggests multi-tasking is a myth, and multi-tasking while communicating is no exception. Even checking a text during a conversation can make whoever you're speaking with feel devalued.
- Make sure you're having a conversation, not giving a speech. Findings from MIT suggest that, no surprise, it's human nature to favor an engaging conversation over a one-sided one -- even from a young age -- so ask questions and make it clear how what you're saying is relevant to the other person.
- If you're famously long-winded, try paring down your word count by thinking about what you'll say before you speak -- or give yourself an overall time limit by asking the other person if they can set aside a certain amount of time (say, 15 minutes) to focus on the conversation.
For more tips, check out Entrepreneur's article on how to become a better communicator.
