Listening is a skill, which is vital for the success of individuals, relationships and organisations worldwide.

Listening is pivotal for many daily tasks in business including interviewing, presentations, performance counselling and management, communicating with staff and liasing with customers.

Good listening skills are desired by many and acquired by very few. Are you a good listener? 
Try the Listening Skills Self Evaluation [pdf]

Let's look at some practical tips to help improve your listening skills.

Consider cultural and language differences

Different languages, accents and colloquialisms may affect your ability to understand a message. It is important to attempt to overcome these barriers by taking the opportunity to learn about different cultures to gain a better understanding of the message.

Pay attention to non-verbal cues

The body language of a speaker cannot be ignored. Body language can compliment a person's message or confuse it. Often people say one thing while their body language says another. Try to focus on both words and body language to truly understand the message.

Be patient

Have you ever wished someone to just hurry up and deliver their message? Remember thought is faster than speech so it is important to remain patient and calm when listening to people who speaker slower than you are used to. Hearing and listening are not the same thing. The latter is almost always the preferred option.

Keep an open mind

Be aware that your own experiences, values, beliefs, culture and traditions can influence the message that you hear. In order to become a more effective listener it is important to look past your own world view and try to gain a greater understanding of a speakers position. Additionally by remaining objective you may discover a beneficial idea, opinion or information. 

Be aware of physical barriers

Noise can lead to distractions, which will effect your ability to hear and listen. Be aware of noisy equipment, rooms and sounds that may affect your ability to hear.

Stay tuned to the message

Effective listeners avoid or filter out distractions, staying tuned to the speakers message. This demonstrates to the speaker that you are interested and listening attentively to the entire message and not merely the words. Good listeners also focus on the tone of words and use these clues to gain further insights into the message.

Be aware of your own habits

Some people display idiosyncrasies or habits when speaking or listening to people. Often the person is not aware of these idiosyncrasies. Habits such as avoiding eye contact, interrupting, adjusting clothing etc. can effect the ability to effectively communicate. It is important that you become aware of your habits and work towards reducing distractions and barriers that may affect your ability to listen to the message.

Focus on feelings not just the message

This is sometimes referred to as empathetic listening. It requires a great amount of skill and patience on the part of the listener. Good listeners have the ability to listen to the words and emotions of the speaker, to avoid making judgements or give advice and always show respect for the speaker.

Be aware of your own body language

To improve listening skills always try to maintain eye contact and respond to head nods and other facial expressions or cues. Position your body so as to face the speaker. Try to strike a balance when using body language, show the speaker you are listening whilst not invading their body space.

Be aware of the speakers expectations

As a listener it is important that you understand your role and the expectations of the speaker. Some speakers will expect you to listen to their message and understand the information. Some speakers will expect you to listen to the message, evaluate the information and provide recommendations or suggestions. Other speakers may require you to listen to their message and draw out their feelings.
Effective listeners understand what is expected of them and apply appropriate listening strategies to suit the moment.

Work at Listening

Listening is not a natural talent it is a learned skill that can and should be constantly developed over a lifetime.

References:

Writing, Researching, Communicating- Communication Skills for the Information Age, Third Edition. Keith Windschuttle & Elizabeth Elliott, McGraw Hill Book Company Australia Pty Ltd 1999.

Excellence in Business Communication, Fourth Edition, John V Thill, Courtland L Bovee, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1999.

The Modern Presenters Handbook, Jim Macnamara, Prentice Hall Australia Pty Ltd:1996

High Impact Presentations, A Multi Media Approach, Jo Robbins: John Wiley & Sons Inc:Canada: 1997