If you want to improve Listening Skills then you must have to concentrate your Mind when you are interacting with someone. Understanding the problem or the talk, is crucial. There are certain distractions you will have to avoid in terms to be a Good Listener.
Well, Talking specifically The most obvious and probably the most significant barriers to listening in today’s world are various ‘Distractions’. Sadly, many of us can’t seem to be part of a conversation without constantly glancing at our phone or laptop. When you’re having a conversation with someone, it’s best to keep these distractions away and focus on the person in front of you.
Other Important thing is ‘Lack of Interest’; Often times, we find ourselves trapped in a conversation that simply can’t hold our interest. In such cases, we’ll be tempted to drift off in our own thoughts or focus on something else – which, unfortunately, can be a barrier to listening. Now If the discussion isn’t important, steer the conversation to a different direction. If it is important, however try to focus on the relevant points and note them down. Simple.
‘Noise’ is the other common difficulty we face during a conversation, as Trying to communicate in loud environments is highly ineffective. Even if you can manage to communicate with a large amount of background noise, you won’t be able to understand much or have a good, meaningful discourse. The issue of background noise is especially common during telephone conversations. For example, many people think they can tackle important conversations while they’re commuting. In most cases, however the noise levels are too high for effective communication, not to mention the fact that it can cause strain to the person on the other end as well.
The ‘Interruptions’; The fact that nothing good comes from interrupting someone while they’re speaking is one of those cardinal rules of communication we’re all taught as children. People are so eager to be heard that sometimes they interrupt conversations to state their own opinion. However, not only is it considered rude, but it’s also one of the biggest barriers to effective listening. To avoid making this mistake, try to wait until the other person has finished talking before saying your own ideas out loud.
And lastly the ‘Prejudice’; Prejudice can cloud your judgement and make you turn a blind eye towards valuable information or good people. When you live and work in a multicultural environment, it’s vital to leave all your prejudices behind when you’re communicating with others. For example, if you assume a person is unintelligent (or even less intelligent than you) because of the country of his origin, you’re blinding yourself. You need to give everyone the benefit of doubt and listen to what they have to say, it helps improve Listening Skills!!
