The most important component of effective communication is the ability to listen to the interlocutor. In this case, a person not only perceives the information addressed to him, but also determines the emotional state of the other party to the dialogue. When listening to another person, it is important to remember about feedback.
Correct listening
Basic types of listening in effective communications
Active (reflexive), in which the recipient constantly asks the speaker clarifying questions in order to correctly understand and perceive the information being conveyed.
Passive (non-reflexive), in which the employment database second party listens attentively to the first, without interrupting or clarifying. The recipient confirms his attention with so-called "uh-huh" reactions.
Empathic listening, in which a person experiences the feelings of the narrator, reflects them, empathizes with and shares the emotional state of the speaker. Distinctive features of empathic listening include the absence of value judgments of the information being transmitted, as well as advice, moralizing, criticism and lecturing.
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Rules of empathic listening
Correct setting: during the conversation, you should forget about your own problems and experiences, as well as about the attitudes and prejudices concerning the narrator. This approach will allow you to understand and feel the interlocutor.
The response to the speaker's words should reflect the experiences and emotions that are behind his speech, so that he realizes that his reactions are not only understood, but also accepted by the recipient.
Understanding that empathic listening does not mean interpreting the hidden motives of the parties to communication. When listening to information, it is necessary to reflect the emotions of the interlocutor, and not to find out, and especially not to explain, why he had this particular feeling.
Rules of empathic listening
The need for a pause. Having received an answer, the narrator often wants to think it over silently. It is necessary to give him time for this, without interrupting his thinking, without expressing additional thoughts, without making explanations or specifying details. During the pause, a person gets the opportunity to sort out his experiences.
No need for detailed answers in a confidential conversation, when a person speaks a lot and emotionally. You can confirm your interest in the information by inserting interjections, short phrases into his speech, repeating the last words of the narrator or simply nodding your head silently.