Your listening skills have a major impact on the effectiveness of your teleworking and the quality of your virtual relationships with others.
We listen to get information, to understand, to learn, influence, persuade and negotiate.
A few tips for active listening:
- Pay Attention
Give the speaker your full attention, and acknowledge the message.
- Look at the speaker directly through the camera.
- Put aside distracting thoughts.
- Avoid being distracted by environmental factors
- Show that you are listening
Use your own body language and gestures to show that you are present !
- Nod occasionally.
- Smile and use other facial expressions.
- Make sure that your posture is open and interested.
- Provide feedback
Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear.
- Ask questions to clarify certain points.
- Summarize the speaker’s comments .
- Defer Judgement
Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions and don’t interrupt with counter arguments.
- Respond appropriately
Active listening is designed to encourage respect and understanding.
- Be open and honest in your response.
- Assert your opinions respectfully.
- Treat the other person in a way that you think she would want to be treated.
