The relationships we have with others are essential to our health and wellbeing. They provide social support and connections and help to reduce stress, safeguard ourselves from mental illnesses and improve our mental health.
Listening is at the heart of healthy interpersonal relationships. It’s an essential skillset that can be developed and improved. It is an essential part of good leadership, too.
Table of Contents
1. The ability to listen is an essential skill
It is a vital talent, but to master it is a process that requires time and the practice. One method to increase your proficiency on this skill is to hone in on staying present and removing distracting thoughts before noticing non-verbal cues like facial expressions, tone of Voice, the body language of the speaker. By doing this, you will be able to comprehend their feelings and demands more rapidly as well as allowing them to be patient before giving thoughts or sharing your experiences excessively.
It’s more than just listening; it’s an active activity that requires deliberate intent (Active Listening 2014.). The act of listening requires attentiveness to the present, a lack of assumptions and a willingness to be able to hear all facets of what’s being said through another person. In addition, Active Listening encourages creating positive communities of interaction between its members.
Research suggests that high-quality listening is an integral component of many relationships, including student/teacher (Black & Buchanan, 2000), undergraduate peer tutors (Abbot, Graf & Chatfield, 2018), undergraduate peer tutors (Abbot Graf & Chatfield 2018), friends (Bodie 2012), romantic partners (Hoskins Woszidlo & Kunkel 2019), adolescents/parents/medical team relationships (Starkman Fisher Pilek Lopez-Henriquez Lynch Bilkins Mogin 2016) and long-married couples (Corley Schnapp 2003). Their gender, position and age, race, and the family’s history affects how listeners conduct listening sessions.
2. It is the act of listening that defines a mental state.
Being a good listener takes more than listening only to the words of someone else. You should also be willing to learn something new and opening yourself to exploring a new perspective. It’s more difficult to accomplish than it is considering that thoughts or concepts that come from your own mind can distract your attention from the topic that the speaker is speaking about. When it happens, you should try to bring the focus back on them by keeping their viewpoint at the forefront and recognizing only their perspective as being relevant.
Effective listeners are able to think in a way that solves problems and continuously try to find a way to connect diverse mental theories. It can be mentally challenging, and that’s the reason why people who listen well tend to talk less. When you ask questions, it’s important that they relate to comprehending the perspective of the speaker in order to avoid appearing as that you’re asking irrelevant questions in an attempt to “showing interest.”
Self-Determination Theory (SDT), is the basis for many of the current research into the ability to listen. SDT affirms that individuals possess three fundamental psychological needs which are satisfied when they have inner motivation and wellbeing. Combining SDT along with research on listening the article examines how satisfaction in need can contribute to a more effective environment for conversation which promote autonomy and connection.
3. The habit of listening is one that’s developed
There are many people who excel in talking however struggle to listen effectively due to a variety of reasons, including poor concentration, visual or physical distractions or fatigue, not being interested on the subject that is being discussed, poor listening ability as well as stress or anxiety just to mention a few. The obstacles to listening can be overcome through active listening, that is, being and focused on the current situation with no interruptions, such as being attentive and not interrupting. It also involves practicing the use of body language that is open, like eye contact, leaning close, nodding quickly, and asking inquiries when needed.
Individuals who develop these abilities improve their listening skills by becoming proficient in identifying social cues which reveal the meaning behind the words of others and prioritizing what they say.
Listening actively conveys that one’s thoughts and views are important and must be considered seriously. It also boosts the morale of employees and has a direct impact on productivity confidence and satisfaction of employees as well as trust between employers and employees. This requires effort but the results could be immense. This is why it’s important to understand its significance and making it a part of your daily routine is not to be overlooked.
4. It is an act of kindness to listen.
The importance of attentive listening extends beyond just listening; you must listen. If you are able to give someone’s words with your complete attention it shows their value in your own life, and demonstrate you show that your thoughts matter by giving them the impression of being heard and valued, which boosts the likelihood of further discussion.
If your spouse is discussing the topic at work, listening compassion is essential. This means putting yourself in their place as well as understanding their thoughts and thinking – such as using phrases such as “I understand how frustrating that must be” or “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Empathy and listening are essential in relationships with others, but also vital in the business world. It has been long recognized as a key element in management that improves employee engagement as well as job satisfaction.
But, it is simple to get distracted while being in the moment and listening. This can be caused by using your mobile phone, browsing the internet or doing other work as well as paying attention to what you hear when there’s a flurry of noise or an emotional responses from them this could result in inaccurate interpretation or miss key bits of information. Additionally, biases like confirmation bias, or attribution bias can hinder your ability to listen as well.
