The underrated art of listening

Listening is an underrated skill. Make no mistake, it is a skill. And it is often underrated.

Dan Erwin looks at some researched-based facts about listening in:

Brainware – 10 Things You May Not Know About Listening.

Listening is a key discipline for journalists. When I would train young reporters I'd tell them to pay attention to what an interviewee was saying and to hear the music as well as the words. By that, I meant they should think about what isn't said, about the tone, even the facial expressions. That way you can get a much better understanding.

In my experience, it is important to always give people your full attention when listening, although this is hard in today’s world where there are so many interruptions.

Short conversations aside, I think the people I’ve worked with always knew when I wanted to hear what they have to say I’d take them away from the work place – either to a quiet room, or better still a café.

That said, journalist interviews are often conducted on the hoof. Away from politics the doorstep or standup is a rarity, but they still happen. You might meet someone at an event or even in the street. You may only have a couple of minutes to get some colour or nuance to flesh out a story, that means giving the speaker your entire attention.

The other important listening strategy that translates from journalism into the wider world is to put people at ease, then get them to talk about them. Their lives, their feelings and their ideas. You can often kick-start this by talking about yourself, but take care not to overdo it.

I guarantee if you can do this, you’ll learn more.