Strategies for Becoming an Effective Listener
Strategies for Becoming an Effective Listener
All of the strategies for becoming a better listener depend upon the listener defining goals for listening and becoming self–aware (self–monitoring) so that the barriers to listening are obvious and can be managed. After goal–setting and awareness of barriers, there are some general skills that are useful to the critical listener—critical here means aware, intelligent and knowledgeable, not fault–finding, which is a distraction from serious listening. Some of the more important skills are the ability to be appreciative [see above], to remain objective, open and fair–minded, to challenge and ask constructive questions, and maintain intellectual humility in consideration of the multi–dimensionality of issues.
