5 Ways To Become A Better Listener

Have you ever heard the phrase, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak”? Supposedly, a Greek philosopher named Epictetus said it a long time ago, but it’s just as true today as it’s ever been.

The truth is, a lot of people may think they’re good listeners, but becoming a better listener is something that just about everyone can work on. Especially in these rather divisive times, so much miscommunication could potentially be solved if we just worked on listening to each other more, and making sure that the other person we are speaking with feels heard and respected.

Learning to listen better is a topic that David Cunningham of the Landmark Forum, spoke about on Good Morning Washington. He noted a few ways that people can work on becoming a better listener, and he’s not the only expert to have covered the topic.

Landmark Forum’s David Cunningham explains that one way to be a better listener is to find something interesting about what the other person is saying, even if you don’t agree with them.

The Positivity Blog did a piece about becoming a better listener back in February 2018, and noted that when in conversation with someone, you should focus on listening, just to listen, and to not interrupt someone, especially when they need to vent. Cunningham said something similar during his appearance, when he said that you should make sure you’re not working on being heard when you should be making sure the other person is heard.

Psychology Today wrote back in 2014 that to become a better listener, you should work on recognizing changes in tone and body language. Sometimes it’s not about what a person is saying, but about what their physical cues are saying. Monitoring the reaction and emotions of the person you’re speaking with is important.

Communication experts agree that you should always acknowledge the other person and thank them for sharing. You may not have agreed with them. You may not have found even one thing that you related to in their opinion. But acknowledging someone for sharing, particularly with difficult topics, is a huge part of being a good listener.

Even the best listeners can always work on being better at listening and communicating. If you’re determined to stop tuning out of conversations and to always engage the people you’re speaking with, even if you don’t agree with them, you’re making great strides towards making sure other people feel listened to and respected.