Listen Up The Importance Of Active Listening

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This memo to inform you all about the importance of active listening. As everyone knows I recently attended a conference at which I learned more about this valuable skill. This skill will help all of us to provide better quality care to our patients. • The first step to become an active listener is to cultivate an interest in the message an d the speaker(Cheesebro, O’Connor, & Rios, F. 2010). . • The second step of active listening is to put your own interests aside and become interested in the speaker (Cheesebro, O’Connor, & Rios, F. 2010). • The next step in active listening is to put your attention on the speaker and his or her message(Cheesebro, O’Connor, & Rios, F. 2010). Here are some pointers for how you can become an active listener ("Active Listening: Hear What People Are Really Saying", 2010). 1. Pay attention to the speaker! a. Do this by looking at the speaker b. Concentrate on what is being said c. Watch for body language d. Don’t talk during the presentation 2. Show the speaker that you are listening to them. a. Make eye contact b. Smile c. Encourage the speaker by giving verbal prompts 3. Give feedback a. Show that you were listening by summarizing comments b. Reflect on what was said to the speaker c. Ask questions to clarify any misunderstandings 4. Don’t judge anyone until the end a. Make sure and listen to the full speech before giving feedback b. Don’t argue with the speaker 5. Respond appropriately a. Be honest and sincere in your response b. Give opinions while still being respectful c. Remember to treat others as you would like to be treated I feel that it is very important for us all to practice our active listening every day. It is very important that we hear everything that our coworkers and patients have to say. Remember that active listening also involves watching another person’s body language to “see”
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