The Mind Tools Newsletter

Never stop listening

As a manager, you’ll communicate with many people throughout your day, from team members to external partners. But in how many of these conversations can you confidently say you remember everything that was said? Research suggests that it’s likely to be only between 25 to 50 percent of what you’ve heard…

Then there’s understanding what was said. Active listening involves hearing more than just the words being spoken. It requires you to look for those nonverbal cues to help you understand the complete message. When you master this skill, you help to foster a culture of trust and understanding where your team feels valued and heard. You’ll also improve productivity and your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate.

Active listening is a vitally important, yet often overlooked skill in the manager's toolkit. And in fast-paced, interconnected workplaces where the demand for your attention is high, the ability to listen can be the difference between success and failure.

Don’t let important conversations go in one ear and out the other. Read our article on active listening and start to hear things differently.

Hear what's truly being said

"Empathic listening" is a powerful technique that can help to strengthen your relationship with your team and get to the source of workplace issues.

It goes beyond active listening in that it involves you being attuned to the emotions of the speaker – requiring you to understand the messages being conveyed both intellectually and emotionally.

This article explains the meaning of empathic listening and provides tips to start implementing it.

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