Active Listening: Tips, Techniques, and Examples

“What did you say?” 

With so many potential distractions — a loud office, constant notifications, and a crowded to-do list — it’s no wonder our attention sometimes slips. But tuning it all out to pay attention to conversations is an indispensable skill. 

Active listening is more than just hearing words. It’s about understanding, retaining, and engaging in conversations. 

Let’s explore how to sharpen your active listening skills to boost productivity and communication. Discover practical techniques, examples of active listening in action, and the benefits of truly hearing what others have to say. 

What’s active listening? 

Active listening is the practice of fully engaging in a conversation. When you actively listen, you enhance your ability to understand the message and respond thoughtfully. You can use several techniques, including making direct eye contact, asking open-ended questions, and paying attention to non-verbal cues like body language and facial expressions. 

Whether engaging with a client or leading a job interview, active listening improves overall communication and builds trust. It’s a skill that doesn’t just foster strong relationships. It leads to better collaboration, a stronger sense of connection, and more productive work. 

Good listeners abide by the three As: 

• Attitude: A curious and open mindset anchors the conversation. Positive attitudes signal respect and make the speaker feel comfortable. 
• Attention: Small gestures like nodding your head or asking clarifying questions show active engagement. Staying present means demonstrating your undivided focus on the speaker. 
• Adjustment: Sometimes, someone needs to vent. Other times, they might need a partner to work out an idea. Effective listening requires flexibility. Being attentive to someone's needs demonstrates empathy and leads to more meaningful dialogues. 

6 active listening strategies for better conversations

Good listeners sharpen their techniques with a wide set of communication skills. Each one helps you connect with others, hear the other person, and respond empathetically. 

Here are six active listening techniques to bring to the table: 

1. Stay focused

There’s no shortage of excuses for getting distracted, whether it’s the ping of a new notification or an email you forgot to respond to. Tuning out the noise is crucial to active listening. Tools like Otter’s AI meeting assistant help you resist the urge to multitask by taking notes for you, allowing you to be present in the moment without losing track of important details. 

2. Summarize key points

Throughout the conversation, paraphrase and summarize what’s being said. Paraphrasing key points helps you check that everyone is on the same page and prevent misunderstandings. This reinforces your own understanding and shows the speaker you value their input. 

3. Don’t interrupt

It’s tempting to jump in with your thoughts, but interruptions can derail the conversation. Let the other person finish their point. Sometimes, the best conversation comes when you give someone room to express themselves fully. By waiting until they finish, you show respect and encourage team members to speak openly. 

4. Ask open-ended questions

Yes/no questions are a quick way to cut a conversation short. Ask questions that help you learn more about the topic, like, “How does this make you feel?” or “What’s the best-case scenario to improve this situation?” to encourage deeper thinking and show your interest in the speaker’s opinion. 

5. Read the room

Active listeners don’t just listen to words. They pay careful attention to nonverbal cues like body language, facial expressions, and tone. If someone’s posture is tense and they speak with a shaky voice, these cues might indicate they feel uneasy — even if their words paint a different picture. 

6. Set judgments aside

Active listening is about understanding the content and emotions behind someone’s words. Set aside any judgments or preconceived notions and focus on understanding the speaker’s perspective. When you show empathy, you nurture an environment where people feel heard and empowered to share their emotions openly. 

Benefits of active listening 

Learning how to be an active listener takes time, patience, and trial and error. And like any other new skill, the benefits make the effort worthwhile:

• Dig beyond the surface: Active listeners go beyond superficial conversations and build real, meaningful connections. These connections construct a sense of place, community, and belonging — all of which are powerful motivators. When people feel understood, they create a workplace environment where collaboration and trust thrive. 
• Strengthen collaboration: Active listening techniques mitigate misunderstandings, which are often at the heart of workplace communication breakdowns. When you listen carefully, paraphrase, and clarify conversation points, you make sure everyone is on the same page about expectations and goals. This shared understanding lets teams work more cohesively, making collaboration smooth and effective. 
• Help resolve conflicts: Remember those strong interpersonal connections you built through active listening? Conflict resolution is where they come into play. By practicing active listening, you’re more likely to see things from the other person’s perspective, allowing empathy to lead you through disagreements. And when people feel understood and respected, they’re more likely to seek common ground. 
• Boost engagement and team morale: Connection and respect are like rocket fuel for motivation. Active listening builds a positive culture where everyone feels like their voice matters, boosting morale and engagement. People are more excited to contribute their ideas when they know the person on the other end of the conversation truly listens.
• Promote continuous growth: Every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new. Active listening opens you up to different perspectives and insights, which can expand your own understanding. As you actively listen, you learn from others and, in turn, help them learn too. 

3 examples of effective active listening

What does active listening look like in the wild? Here are three scenarios:

1. During a team meeting

Your team gets together to deliver a status update on an ongoing project. Everyone silences their phone and closes their laptops. You all ask thoughtful questions and give each other the space to respond, leading to a more productive meeting. 

2. During a client call

Before the call begins, you set the stage for a focused conversation. You close unnecessary tabs, silence your phone, and blur your background. As the client shares their concerns, you nod and avoid interrupting to indicate your commitment to the conversation. 

3. During a job interview

Create a calm, distraction-free environment for both parties. As the candidate speaks, you take interview notes without breaking eye contact, point your body toward them, and ask thoughtful questions to dig deeper into their experience. 

How to improve your active listening skills: 5 tips

Not sure where to start training your active listening skills? Listen up. Here are five tips: 

1. Ask for feedback: After a conversation, ask a trusted colleague how you did as a listener. Did you make them feel heard? Their feedback might uncover listening skills that need improvement, even if you felt fully engaged. 
2. Check-in with yourself: It’s easy to zone out during long meetings. Pay attention to when your mind wanders. A quick mental reminder to refocus can make a big difference in staying present. 
3. Be open: Listen to the other person’s perspective without rushing to respond, even if you disagree. You might learn something new and build mutual respect in the process. 
4. Take small breaks: Long conversations can drain anyone. Don’t be afraid to ask for a mental breather to recharge. Say something like, “Do you mind if I had a moment to think about this?” This establishes a mutually beneficial exchange and helps you stay sharp and engaged. 
5. Let silence in: Sometimes, the best thing you can do is be quiet. Let a pause linger. It will give you and the speaker space to process and respond thoughtfully rather than fill the gaps. 

Remember, striving to be a good listener isn’t about striving for perfection. It’s about building better habits to stay connected in your conversations. Give yourself space and grace to learn. 

Great listeners need great notes with Otter 

Good conversations call for detailed note-taking. With Otter, you never get distracted jotting down insights and next steps. 

Otter is revolutionizing AI at work as the first AI meeting assistant that auto joins, auto shares, and auto summarizes meetings. AI-powered meeting assistants are becoming standard in most enterprise settings, saving professionals and teams an average of 4 hours a week and increasing productivity by automatically generating action items, summaries, and follow-up emails. Try Otter now and see the difference smart technology can make. Get started today.