Preparing to be an Active Listener

Being an active listener takes more effort than casual listening. There are things you can do to prepare yourself before entering into a conversation in which you need to be an active listener. Consider the following:

Clear your mind and prepare yourself mentally. You need to be mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared to listen. Don't think about things outside of the conversation. Focus. If you can't stop thinking about something, write yourself a note and come back to what you are thinking later. If you're upset or anxious about something, try taking deep breaths, get a drink of water, or take a short walk. Don't go into a conversation distracted.

Create a comfortable environment conducive to listening. Public spaces can have distractions like noise or other people moving about. You can still create a space more conducive for conversation by sitting close enough so you can look each other in the eye and observe each other's body language. You should be able to hear without straining. If you're talking on the phone or a webcam, make sure your space isn't distracting. You should be able to clearly hear the conversation. People can still see you and your reactions on a video call!

Set aside your personal biases and judgments. Just because a person asks for some help with their phone or computer, it doesn't mean they're not intelligent and capable in many other areas. Many of the adults you will work with have led productive and successful lives and accomplished many things. If you go into a conversation with preconceived notions that they are helpless or unsuccessful, you can miss valuable information that can hurt the conversation. You might upset someone. Give every person a clean slate every time you work with them. Take time to understand their current situation.

Show genuine interest in the person you're speaking with. Always welcome and greet others at the beginning of a conversation. Always introduce yourself to someone you don't know. Ask them their name and use it throughout the conversation. Try to get to know a little bit about the person you're working with and why they've come to talk with you. When someone feels you are on their side, they will be calmer and less anxious. You can have a more productive conversation.