Careers & Management: How to...be a better listener

Sometimes, it seems as if there’s a lot of talking going on at work — and very little listening. That’s because most of us like to talk, especially about ourselves. But career experts say that if you don’t know how to listen, you won’t be successful in the workplace.

Helping others helps you

Fred Halstead, author of Leadership Skills that Inspire Incredible Results, says that helping others to succeed will benefit your career, too. And one of the top skills of successful people is the ability to listen. Good listeners ask insightful questions, according to Halstead. “If you just hear the words without hearing what the person actually intends to say, you will miss the opportunity to gain the essential clarity and results you seek,” he writes.

Don’t be judgemental

Just because you don’t agree with someone doesn’t mean they don’t have important points to make, Halstead says. “Disagreement with what someone is saying stops listening. If you’re judging me and think I’m not a smart person, why listen? That can get in the way, ” he told Fast Company magazine.

Don’t multitask

Here’s a sure way to ensure you don’t hear what a colleague or business partner has to say: check your email while they’re talking. Of course, this is harder to do if the other person is in the same room, but it often happens when you’re on the phone, perhaps during a telephone conference. “Your brain’s frontal cortex processes what we hear, but it processes serially, not in parallel,” Halstead explains. “When you want to listen to someone, you have to drop everything you’re doing and focus.”

Don’t make assumptions

Let’s face it — after a while, we all start to repeat ourselves. But don’t stop listening to a colleague because you think you already know what they’re going to say, Halstead warns. “You might think, ‘I’ve heard George before and this is what he always says.’ Maybe George will say something he hasn’t said before. If you stop listening, you won’t hear it.”

Practice makes perfect

Becoming a better listener doesn’t happen all at once, Halstead says. “Listening is difficult — you’ve got to want to do it,” he comments. “The more you practise it, the easier it becomes. When you listen to someone, you show respect. People recognize that and they will most likely reciprocate by listening to you. It’s like laying a foundation for a relationship, even if it’s a short-term relationship,” he says.