A team listening to a colleague speak in a meeting room

Active listening: what it is, benefits, and techniques

A key for opening up to the world

In today's business world, where effective communication and strong relationships are fundamental to achieve organizational success, active listening stands as a key pillar in the development of companies.

What is active listening?

Active listening is a communication technique that involves paying full and undivided attention to the other person, encompassing both verbal and nonverbal aspects. Beyond simply hearing words, it involves carefully analyzing gestures and expressions with the goal of achieving a comprehensive and empathetic understanding of the message.

What is active listening? It's based on listening attentively, deep understanding, and the ability to provide accurate solutions. This process builds trust and strengthens human connections.

The ability to listen with attention and empathy not only enriches the quality of interaction between people, but also shapes the corporate culture, promotes collaboration, and contributes to a more productive and harmonious work environment.

Active listening characteristics

Below are the main characteristics of active listening, which facilitate effective communication and a deep understanding of the other person's message.

Undivided attention: It focuses on dedicating all concentration to the speaker, avoiding distractions and focusing attention on the message transmitted.
Empathy: It involves understanding and putting yourself in the other person's shoes, capturing their words, emotions, and perspectives without judgment.
Avoid judgments and prejudices: Listen without making premature judgments or assumptions about what is being said, keeping an open mind.
Nonverbal language observation: Attention is paid to gestures, body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, capturing communication beyond words.
Feedback and validation: Offering verbal and nonverbal responses or cues (such as nodding, asking open-ended questions, or paraphrasing) that demonstrate interest and understanding of the message.
Do not interrupt: Allow the other person to finish their thoughts before responding, showing patience and respect in the conversation.
Retention and memory: Remembering essential information so that you can refer to it later, which indicates genuine attention and interest.
Paraphrasing and summarizing: Rephrasing or summarizing what you heard to confirm that you have correctly understood the speaker's message.

Developing these characteristics and putting them into practice in daily communication not only improves the quality of relationships but also increases trust and effectiveness in personal and professional exchanges.

Benefits of active listening in a company

Active listening is a very valuable tool for communication, and it has a significant impact in the work environment. Its major benefits are:

Increases the level of empathy: It focuses on understanding the words expressed by the speaker, as well as their emotions, tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. Active listening directs conscious and deep attention toward these aspects and, in conjunction with assertive communication, helps establish a deeper connection with the person speaking.
Builds a positive work environment: Listening skills play a key role in creating a positive work environment by creating a work atmosphere based on respect, trust, and collaboration. This results in each person feeling appreciated and respected, which enhances group dynamics and relationships among co-workers.
Increases commitment to the company: The practice of active listening increases the sense of inclusion given that each team member feels like an essential part of the organization. By knowing that their decisions and contributions are valuable to the company's growth, it reinforces this feeling and increases participation.

Two work colleagues listening to another one speak

Facilitates conflict resolution: Active communication allows for a better understanding of the concerns and points of view of all parties involved, which helps to find more effective and consensual solutions, reducing misunderstandings and tensions within the team.
Helps make better decisions: Active communication enables more well-informed, equitable, and effective decision-making. It promotes the understanding of multiple perspectives and leads to more creative solutions, which helps prevent mistakes and increases both the quality and scope of the decisions made.
Increases productivity: It promotes clear and effective communication, which in turn leads to better understanding and collaboration in a work environment. Altogether, these factors drive improved productivity by reducing barriers and optimizing focus on essential tasks.
Enhances communication: Active listening enhances communication in the workplace by creating a reciprocal, empathetic, and respectful understanding. This aids in building stronger relationships, reducing misunderstandings, and promoting more effective problem solving.

Active listening techniques

There are various techniques to put active listening into practice. These are some examples:

Avoid interrupting

In order to practice active listening, it's essential to focus our attention on the other person's words and avoid interrupting with our own ideas. This results in a deeper and more complete understanding of the conversation.

Two smiling people listening to a co-worker

Show supportive behaviors

Given that the listener's input in active listening is limited, it's important to show support through positive, nonverbal communication and avoid distracted behaviors such as crossing your arms. Smiling and nodding are recommended to show you're paying attention and create a pleasant atmosphere.

An employee asking a question during a presentation

Ask specific and open-ended questions

Once the speaker has finished expressing their ideas, showing you're paying attention with questions focused on the other person or by using certain phrases, such as "tell me more about it," is recommended.

A group of people talking and interrupting each other

Listen without passing judgment

It's important to avoid expressing your personal judgment when listening to someone. By focusing your attention on their words, a deeper understanding is achieved, and the other person feels heard and not judged.

Two co-workers talking and listening to each other

Paraphrase and summarize

Once the other person is finished speaking, rephrasing what has been said in your own words confirms understanding. This process shows attentiveness and reinforces the purpose of active listening, while avoiding personal comments or judgments.

Establish eye contact

Constant eye contact during a conversation increases attention and lets the speaker know that they're being heard and understood. It also ensures the listener's concentration and makes it possible to observe nonverbal language to improve comprehension.

One person expresses her opinion while another watches her attentively.

Practice patience and silence

Giving the other person space to think and express themselves without rushing them is key to active listening. Silence allows for deeper reflection and avoids interrupting the natural flow of dialog, fostering more authentic and respectful communication.

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