The Art of Active Listening | The Harvard Business Review Guide

I'm an Australian and studied abroad in Sweden ~10 years ago. I remember being caught off guard when I realised Swedes were genuinely listening to what I had to say and treating it as meaningful, rather than just waiting for their turn to say something. I still consider myself very fortunate for having this experience and have tried to listen 'the Swedish way' ever since.

1. Title: "The Art of Active Listening | The Harvard Business Review Guide" 2. Good listening involves more than just staying silent and repeating what was said. 3. Listening is an active, noncompetitive, two-way interaction. 4. Authors Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman advocate for being an active listener like a trampoline, providing height, acceleration, energy, and amplification to the speaker's thoughts. 5. Recognize your default listening style, whether it's task-oriented, analytical, relational, or critical. 6. Consider the goals of each conversation and determine the most suitable listening mode. 7. Listen without an agenda to process the other person's words without formulating an immediate response. 8. Be aware of who the focus of attention is in the conversation. 9. Sharing personal stories can establish connection, but avoid steering the conversation away from the speaker. 10. Ask, "What am I missing?" to delve deeper into the unsaid aspects of the conversation. 11. Good listening goes beyond nodding and repeating; asking questions signals understanding and invites more information. 12. Pay attention to verbal and nonverbal cues to uncover unexpressed emotions or vulnerabilities. 13. Example: Instead of dismissing concerns with reassurance, ask open-ended questions to encourage further detail. 14. Question yourself: "Am I getting in my own way?" Address internal insecurities or distractions that hinder deep listening. 15. For senior leaders, listening is an imperative skill with more at stake. 16. Leaders may find themselves in information bubbles where employees avoid tough conversations. 17. Kevin Sharer advises leaders to listen purely for comprehension without judgment, agenda, or distraction. 18. Leaders should actively seek input from all levels and create an atmosphere prioritizing trust over hierarchy. 19. Review: Most conversations benefit from being active, supportive trampoline listeners. 20. Assess your default listening style to improve listening skills. 21. Consider the other person's needs in the conversation to determine how to best listen. 22. Be cautious about sharing personal experiences that may divert attention from the speaker. 23. Ask questions not only about what is said but also about what may be left unsaid. 24. Address internal obstacles to truly listen deeply. 25. Senior leaders should question if they are in an information bubble and actively seek input from all levels. 26. Practice listening purely for comprehension without judgment. 27. Create an environment that prioritizes trust over hierarchy for open communication. 28. All strategies mentioned are based on HBR articles. 29. Encourage viewers to share their own listening strategies or suggest topics for future HBR videos. 30. Closing: Thanks for watching, and the HBR team is listening.

The more I try to improve my listening skills, the more I realize how rarely I feel listened to or heard. I am constantly in conversations with friends who are distracted by their phone or something else.

I first watched this video while writing an email, having multiple tabs open, and trying to get a deliverable for work done at the same time. Many times in a remote work environment, it's easy to get distracted by an abundance of noise that we have in front of us which can make active listening challenging. I know I fall victim to this many times... I watched the video through a second time with zero distractions and gave it my full active listening/attention and there's definitely a lot of actionable advice i'm going to hopefully bake into my personal/professional life. Cheers HBR for the insightful video!

Quieting internal monologue...million dollar question!!

I listened. I wrote all suggestions on how I might be listening into my journal this morning. I’m. frequently a mind wandering 80 year old and finally am seeing my inadequate focus. 😊 I appreciate this video. Thank you for awakening my thoughts 😅❤

Thanks for this short guide. When I'm listening there's always another me inside my head formulating how to respond next and what the other person would think of me. That's incredibly annoying because I can't take in what the other person is actually saying!!!:face-purple-crying::face-purple-crying:

The Art of Active Listening 1. How do I usually listen? 2. Why do I need to listen right now, what is the purpose? 3. Who is the focus of attention in the conversation? 4. What am I missing? Speaking up and ask good quesitons. 5. Am I getting in my own way? Good listening is an imperative (crucial) skill. 6. Am I in an information bubble?

Amy, thank you for this-- active listening is so critical for all of us, and so difficult!

Wow! I just realized that I’ve been active listening, but the problem has been that i am active listening to the wrong people. Sometimes I find myself in the conversation and actively listening to the dumbest people I’ve ever come across in my life and I’m applying this information to all the weird shit that’s coming out of their mouth, imagine a Harry Potter sort of long-winded conversation that has now gone off the rails because I’ve been so engaged.

For something so transformative and beneficial to our ability to articulate with others, I'm shocked that this got so few likes.

Thanks a lot for the subtitles! I'm an English student, and when I find interesting content, I really like good subtitles (not automatically generated)… so… THANKS! 😄

I used to think I was a good listener; not anymore. This video made me reflect, now I am keen to practise to be a good one, for real.

oh my gosh, its so true! I attached my own experience of every step you desribed! Great job, big thank you!

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 Good listening involves more than silence and repetition; it requires active, noncompetitive engagement. 01:22 Recognize your default listening style (task-oriented, analytical, relational, or critical) and adapt based on the situation. 02:19 Ask yourself why you need to listen, considering the goals of the conversation, and focus on the speaker without an agenda. 03:18 Pay attention to verbal and nonverbal cues, ask insightful questions, and avoid redirecting the conversation to yourself. 04:46 Overcome internal obstacles like insecurities to truly listen, especially crucial for senior leaders to avoid information bubbles. 06:13 Aim to be an active, supportive trampoline listener, seeking comprehension without judgment, agenda, or distraction. Made with HARPA AIt

I just came across these HBR videos, they are awesome!! Straightforward, full of insight and with a lot of practical tips!!!

Thanks so much I have been making these mistakes unintentionally for a long time. I used to think that I was listening people and encouraging them by saying " I see it was not easy for me if I handled with this one you could do as well:)"

Nice video, as a interpreter and a teacher this helps me a lot, thanks for making this video!

Just came accross this video and find it so very interesting, as it gave me a very clear picture of the process of being a better listener. I think it'd be great if you could mention also what could help us remember or keep in mind what we've just listened to. Thanks again.

practice active listening by engaging with what people say by giving affirmative replies and asking follow-up questions to show that you are paying attention.