Seven things all fabulous listeners do differently

Seven things all fabulous listeners do differentlySeven things all fabulous listeners do differentlyListening is a bit like intelligence s of probing questions are What happened next? and Why did he say that? The key is to make certain that your questions really do add to your understanding of the speakers words, rather than deflecting the conversation to a different topic.4. Practice reflective listeningPsychologist Carl Rogers used the term reflective listening to describe the listening strategy of paraphrasing the meaning of whats being said in order to make certain youve interpreted the speakers words correctly.By doing this, you give the speaker the opportunity to clarify what she meant to say. When you practice reflective listening, dont simply repeat the speakers words to her. Use your own words to show that youve absorbed the information.5. Use positive body languageBecoming cognizant of your gestures, expressions, and tone of voice (and making certain theyre positive) will d raw people to you like ants to a picnic.Using an enthusiastic tone, uncrossing your arms, maintaining eye contact, and leaning towards the speaker are all forms of positive body language employed by great listeners. Positive body language can make all the difference in a conversation.6. Dont pass judgmentIf you want to be a good listener, you must be open-minded. Being open-minded makes you approachable and interesting to others. No one wants to have a conversation with someone who has already formed an opinion and is not willing to listen. Having an open mind is crucial in the workplace, where approachability means access to new ideas and help.To eliminate preconceived notions and judgment, you need to see the world through other peoples eyes. This doesnt require that you believe what they believe or condone their behavior it simply means that you quit passing judgment long enough to truly understand what they are saying.7. Keep your mouth shutIf youre not checking for understandin g or asking a probing question, you shouldnt be talking. Not only does thinking about what youre going to say next take your attention away from the speaker, hijacking the conversation shows that you think you have something more important to say.This means that you shouldnt jump in with solutions to the speakers problems. Its human nature to want to help people, especially when its someone you care about, but what a lot of us dont realize is that when we jump in with advice or a solution, were shutting the other part down.Its essentially a more socially acceptable way of saying, Okay, Ive got it. You can stop now The effect is the same.Bringing it all togetherLife is busy, and it seems to whirl by faster every day. We all try to do a million things at once, and sometimes it works out. But active, effective listening isnt something you can do on the fly. It requires a conscious effort.Travis Bradberry is the coauthor of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the cofounder of TalentSmart.Thi s article originally appeared onLinkedIn.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people