Improve Your Listening Skills and Improve Your Performance

When people talk about communication and their opinions of communicators, seldom is the issue of listening mentioned. Think of the best and worst communicators you've personally encountered during your life and career. You might use terms similar to the following to describe the best and worst of this group:

• Captivating. I listened to every word because the communicator held my attention.
• Clear. I understood the words and ideas of the communicator.
• Motivating. I felt a sense of "uplifting" and new energy for the subject.
• Boring. I tuned out the communicator because I was bored.
• Confusing. I couldn't really understand the communicator's point or message.
• Disagreement. I felt the communicator took a position that he/she couldn't support and made little sense to me.

If you had to defend your opinion, you'd probably say that you listened to the communicator and moulded your position based on what you heard. But, once again, it was your listening skills, not only the communicator's skills that formed your opinion.

This is just an example of the critical relationship between speaking and listening skills. Wherever you are on the company's organizational chart, your listening skills can strongly influence your career.

The Importance of Listening Skills
You cannot choose to work for a great or poor communicator. You need to adapt your listening skills to make the most of your career opportunities. Good listening skills will help you perform better.

• You'll improve your understanding of the tasks assigned to you. Listening carefully to your supervisor gives you multiple benefits. You'll know exactly what your assignment entails, have a good idea of how it should be done, and understand precisely what is expected of you and your input.
  
  
• You'll be able to display informed support of your supervisor and be a positive contributor to good team chemistry. Your listening skills allow you to give effective feedback to your boss and help your team members perform well.
  
  
• You'll become a valuable resource to answer questions, solve problems and become a knowledge source about your job and assignments. Both management and co-workers will appreciate your intelligent contributions to everyone's performance.

How to Improve Your Listening Skills
Improving your listening skills can deliver amazingly positive benefits to you and your career. Here are some tips to improve your ability-and your job performance.

• Never interrupt the speaker. At the first moment your boss or co-worker "loses" you with unclear communication, there is a strong temptation to stop and get a clarification. Don't. Even if you are justified, interrupting a speaker in mid sentence or paragraph hurts both you and the speaker. Let them finish their thought before asking questions.
  
  
• Look the speaker in the eyes. This simple technique accomplishes two goals. First, it helps you stay focused on the communicator's words and understand their meaning better. Second, it displays to the speaker that you are focused on their words, giving them more confidence while speaking.
  
  
• Discreetly nod your head when appropriate. Once again this shows you are listening, that you understand, and offers reinforcement to the communicator that he/she is making points clearly.
  
  
• Use other body language to indicate you're listening closely and absorbing the communicator's words. Simple things such as leaning a bit forward in your seat, help you listen better and display your attention to the speaker.
  
  
• Ask honest questions when the speaker has concluded. There is no better way to ensure a communicator-and yourself-that you've listened actively, than to ask questions. You should get clarification on any points that remain in doubt (as will other listeners) and show the speaker that you have listened effectively.

Active listening is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your on-the-job performance. Understanding the task at hand permits you to become more valuable to your supervisor and your teammates. While listening is often considered a "passive" activity, by turning listening into a more "active" pursuit, you get more benefit and become more valuable to your company and your career.

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