Updated July 25th 2023

In business and in life, it is essential to know how to listen properly. When we sense that someone genuinely listens to us, a foundation of trust and respect is built. For managers, neglecting to truly listen to their colleagues’ concerns or issues can severely harm the relationship and, consequently, the organisation. If a customer is not being listened to, we lose them as a customer, and potentially also lose a lot of their own friends and family as customers; word of mouth is powerful!

Recently I have found myself attempting to explain, to previous and prospective clients, many of the new processes we use in our communication skills training.

Many of our processes at Adaptas™ are situational-based tasks, taking the form of pseudo-life scenarios. Some tasks involve observing examples of human behaviour, others require immersion within a situation. All involve ‘doing’ and much self-reflection. Without self-reflection and awareness, no real change can take place in how we feel and behave.

Our processes present participants with tasks carefully crafted to mirror the real-life situations encountered in our workplaces and daily lives. Each process centers around a specific aspect of communication and behaviour, enabling every participant to delve into their comprehension and proficiency in that particular area.

One example of a game-based process called ‘Worldwide Whispers’ tests our ability to listen to other people. The game is not the same as, but is definitely inspired by the game ‘Chinese Whispers’, which many of us played as children.

In ‘Worldwide Whispers,’ participants are immersed in diverse scenarios, putting their listening skills to the test. Success in this game depends entirely on how effectively they can listen. Through this process, individuals gain valuable insights into their genuine listening abilities and identify areas where they can enhance their effectiveness as listeners. Instead of assuming their listening prowess, participants quickly grasp their actual strengths and weaknesses in this crucial skill.

Here are some tips on improving listening skills:

1) Listen to hear the meaning behind what others are saying.
Pay particular attention to nonverbal cues. Emotion expressed nonverbally may be more telling than the words people speak. Focus on tone of voice, pace of speech, facial expressions, and gestures.

2) Be an active listener.
Active listening is a person’s willingness and ability to hear and understand someone else. Active listeners are able to reflect the feelings expressed and summarize what they are hearing. There are several key skills all active listeners share:
-They pay attention to others.
-They hold judgment.
-They reflect by paraphrasing information. They may say something like “What I hear you saying is…”
-They clarify if they don’t understand what was said, like “What are your thoughts on…” or “I don’t quite understand what you are saying, could you repeat that…”
-They summarize, giving a brief restatement on what they just heard.

Also, see a great video on listening skills for leaders:  ‘Why I’m a listener: Amgen CEO Kevin Sharer’