Published By: Nirtika Pandita

The art of listening, and what it means to be a good listener

The best-gifted humans are bestowed upon but not used fully

Among the various naturally inbuilt skills such as talking, touch, emotions, those humans possess one which is the easiest and difficult at the same time is listening. A skill or a natural ability involving the easiest effort of just lending one’s ear to a conversation may seem the easiest but requires one’s utmost attention and time. Listening is a skill and quality that makes for a good communicator. To understand it better, the art of listening forms the basis of great communication. For if you have the ability to listen, absorb the words thrown at you, only then will you be able to contribute to a conversation.

What really does it mean to be a good listener?

Sitting among a group of people conversing on random topics and hardly being a part of the conversation happening doesn’t make one a listener. To be a good listener requires patients and the desire to be in the space and absorb the word exchange. Believe it or not, being a good listener isn’t easy and requires a lot of hard work.

According to various studies, an average person can remember only 50 per cent of the conversations exchanged or held. A few other studies have also proven that this calculation is a result of the fact that listening is considered a passive process that requires no effort for people.

Here is how one can master the art of listening

Often during conversations, in a group or one-on-one, people listen to the words without truly gauging the meaning behind them or drawing any sense from them. The reason being, occupied mind wandering away to far of places or the lack of interest in the words being exchanged. Another reason that can contribute to the lack of ability to listen is the constant urge humans possess to speak. Listening is an art that demands receptive, open-minded, and non-judgmental attention. It is in itself mediation as it requires you to be still but mind active.

Be patient and don’t interrupt when someone is talking. This is the first and foremost skill of defining a good listener. Being just there in the conversation, listening, and keeping a note of things only to speak after the person talking has finished is the mark of a good listener.

Make sure to make eye contact. This displays your presence in the conversation and shows the respect you have to offer to the communicator.