You know, one of the most important skills for managers, is the ability to effectively counsel their team members.  And the cornerstone of that is – listening.  Actually, not just listening – but active listening.

It’s something that new managers struggle with – but if you want to know the truth – we all could use a refresher.  Active listening is the process of actively paying attention to what the other person is saying, and engaging with them in a way that shows that you understand and care about their concerns.

This means putting away distractions, making eye contact, and asking follow-up questions to clarify any points that are unclear or that you don’t quite understand.

So, here are a few ways you can practice Active Listening:

Pay Attention: This means focusing all of your attention on the speaker and maintaining eye contact with them. It‘s important to be an active listener, rather than a passive one, so that you can be sure that you’re absorbing what they’re saying and understanding it correctly.

I think you’ll find that the most important thing to your team member is feeling heard.  After all, everyone wants to be heard and understood.  And when you show that you’re engaged while you are listening – it goes a long way.

Next – Show That You’re Listening: Use body language, things nodding or smiling at appropriate times during the conversation.  Again, it shows the person that you understand them and empathize with their feelings. You can also try repeating back key phrases or words, it helps demonstrate your attentiveness as well as further clarify what was said.

Provide Feedback: Reflection is an important part of active listening—it allows for better communication between both parties involved in the conversation by confirming each person’s understanding of what’s been discussed so far, while also providing validation.  Validation for each other’s thoughts and feelings.