Do you aspire to be a good listener?

One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears – by listening to them- Dean Rusk. Such a powerful statement, In this current generation where everyone is busy in there, own problems no one has time to listen to you but that’s the key if you can listen to someone keenly and connect with them emotionally that’s when they start liking you and the relationship becomes stronger.

Listening is about being present not just about being quiet.

The above statement summarizes the real definition of listening but in this blog, I will make it further simple for you and break it down in simple 5 steps which you can apply right after reading this!

Step 1: Listen Keenly with Proper Eye Connection

One of the best ways to convey someone that you are connected with them is with proper eye connection. When you look in the eye of the person with whom you are speaking he/she gets a subconscious understanding that you are genuinely interested in the person and the conversation, on the other hand, in case you avoid eye connection it passes a negative message subconsciously that you are least bothered about the person and his/her opinion. The ideal eye connection percentage would range from 75 to 80%. Which means 80% look in the eyes and 20% you can break the connection very subtly. 100% eye connection means gazing so please avoid 100%.

Step 2: Nodding

A nod (up and down) is a sign of agreement. Nodding gives an indication to the speaker that you are understanding what is being conveyed and you agree with the speaker. A nod is a very powerful tool to establish rapport without speaking a word.

Step 3: Verbal Agreement Signals

While using eye contact and nodding to further take the personal connection with the speaker to the next level we can use some verbal agreement words for eg: Hmm, Okay, I understand, etc. Using

Step 4:

Repeat the last few words

Step 5 :

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