Become a Better Listener by Following These Five Rules

Being a good speaker is easy, but being a good listener is a lot harder.

Paraphrase what you think the speaker said and ask if you’re on target.

Ask clarifying questions to sharpen the focus of the conversation.

Notice the speaker’s body language and facial expressions as potential sources ofmeaning.

Use pauses to reflect or draw out more information.

With that, you should be on your way to being a better listener.

Tuning In: Improving Your Listening Skills| The Wall Street Journal

Photo byJonathan Powell.