Strategies For Good Listening Skills

You can have good listening skills. You can stop some of the main causes that prevent you from becoming an effective listener. All you have to do is make a few changes in your work environment and in your approach to listening.  

Passive listening: remain silent and let the person talk. Communicate your interest and concern by non-verbal behavior. Body language as facial expressions and body postures can demonstrate that you are listening attentively.  Maintain eye contact, or overall contact with the speaker and avoid looking at the watch or out of the window etc.  

Don’t multitask: turn off your computer, clean up your desk, so that new email notifications or a headline in a report does not divide your attention.

All these make it easier for you to fully commit yourself to listening.  

Acknowledgments: use brief expressions that communicate your understanding and acceptance, such as “I see”, “aha”.

Door openers: instead of asking direct questions, use inviting expressions that allow the speaker to expand and elaborate about their thoughts and feelings. For example: I would like to hear more about it.  

Recap and confirm what was said. A good way to let the speaker know that they have been heard and understood, is to restate their message. For example: So you are saying that if this approach  works the problem will be eliminated?
This approach allows for clarification of misunderstandings and also to reflect on what was said. Take notes of important conclusions and issues.  

Hear and Listen: Active listening involves hearing the words but also reading between the lines. Observe feelings, impressions, tone, body language etc. Provide feedback on your observation. For example: You seem upset.  

Keep an open mind: Suspend judgment and assumptions when others are talking. Remember what Zeno of Citium said: “The reason we have two ears and only one mouth is that we may listen the more and talk the less”

Important Note on Good Listening Skills:

Listening is an important component of communication. In order establish trust with the speaker you need to display genuine interest in what they are going to say. 
Level yourself with them: abandon your “boss” chair and avoid barriers (desk) between you and them. Eliminate use of jargon and intimidating expressions. It will only make them more vulnerable and nervous.