Whether you’re listening to a supervisor, colleagues, or customers, being attentive in the workplace is one of the most important skills for a successful career.
Many people believe they are good listeners when in fact they are not. One way to check your own listening skills is to think about a recent conversation. Ask yourself how well you listened and whether you gave the other person your full attention while also showing curiosity. If you recall that you were just waiting to take your turn to speak, you were definitely not being a good listener.
In a recent book, two professors argue that being a good listener is the path to better relationships. In How to Feel Loved, they explain that the best way to improve listening is to adopt a “listening to learn” outlook, i.e., shifting one’s focus from responding to understanding. A way to test what this means is for people to recall a time when someone was genuinely interested in hearing what they said—chances are if they were good listeners, they felt valued, seen, and understood. That is the goal for being a good listener.
In general, good listeners tend to use the following strategies:
- Paying attention to content. Avoid being distracted by a speaker’s surface issues (tone, correctness, appearance, etc.).
- Deferring judgment until the speaker is finished. Do not interrupt even if the speaker exaggerates or makes factual errors.
- Focusing on listening. Do not attempt to do two things at the same time (such as trying to listen while composing a response in one’s mind) because active listening requires full attention.
- Pausing before responding. When ready, respond with affirming statements.
In business settings, follow these tips to improve your listening skills:
- Listen, don’t speak.
- Focus entirely on the speaker.
- Ask clarifying questions.
- Paraphrase to assure you’ve understood the speaker.
- Adopt an empathetic and humble attitude.
One of the best ways to show your interest is to use the tried-and-true response, Tell me more. Likewise, realize that becoming a good listener is like building any skill: it takes time and practice.
Discussion
- Do you think you are a good listener? If not, what can you do to improve your listening skills?
- Think of someone you consider to be a good listener. What sets that individual apart?
- Which of the tips to improving listening skills resonates the most with you? Why?
Sources
Doyne, S. (2026, March 4). Do you have good listening skills? The New York Times. https://www.nyt.com
Guffey, M. & Loewy, D. (2025). Business Communication: Process & Product (11th ed.) Cengage, pp. 64-68.