<ol><li>Ignorance and delusion</li><li>Reluctance</li><li>Bias and prejudice</li><li>Lack of interest</li><li>Opinion of the speaker</li><li>Own feelings</li><li>Wrong time and wrong place</li></ol>

The 7 Common Barriers to Active Listening

<ol><li>Acceptance - means trying to avoid expressing agreement or disagreement, at least initially. </li><li>Honesty - means that you're down to being open about your reactions, similar to acceptance — honest reactions given too soon can stifle further explanation on the part of the speaker</li><li>Empathy - is your ability to understand their situation on an emotional level </li><li>Specifics - refers to the need to deal in details rather than generalities</li></ol>

The 4 Components of Active Listening

Reflective listening is concerned with how you process what you've heard. All four components of active listening are put into work towards creating reflective responses. The main principles of active listening are:<ul><li>Listen more than you talk</li><li>Deal with personal specifics, not impersonal generalities</li><li>Decipher the feelings behind the words to create a better understanding of the issues</li><li>restate and clarify what you've heard</li><li>Understand the speaker's point of view and avoid responding from your own viewpoint</li><li>Respond with acceptance and empathy, not coldly or with fake concern</li></ul>

The Main Principles of Reflective Listening

"Speaking is one person reaching out, and listening is another person accepting and taking hold. Together, they form communication, and this is the basis of all human relationships."

Active listening is the key to empathy and relationship building but the authors explain that by actively listening — we:<ul><li>encourage people to open up</li><li>reduce the chances for misunderstanding</li><li>are more able to resolve problems and conflicts</li><li>build trust further</li></ul>

The Importance of Active Listening

<ol><li>Minimize external distractions</li><li>Face the speaker</li><li>Maintain eye contact</li><li>Focus on the speaker</li><li>Be open-minded</li><li>Be sincerely interested</li><li>Have sympathy, feel empathy</li><li>Assess the emotion, not just the words</li><li>Respond appropriately</li><li>Minimize internal distractions</li><li>Avoid "me" stories</li><li>Don't be afraid of silence</li><li>Take notes</li><li>Practice emotional intelligence</li><li>Check your understanding</li></ol>

How To Improve Your Active Listening Skills

There are only two communication states: actively listening, and not really listening. Active listening requires us to understand, interpret, and evaluate what we're being told.Our attention should be on the speaker and when we get the urge to say something, we stop this urge and instead concentrate on what's being said.

Active Listening

Understanding more about the common barriers to active listening – and how to best overcome these – are the biggest lessons you'll learn from this book.

This updated and expanded second edition of the The Art of Active Listening: How to Double Your Communication Skills in 30 Days provides a user-friendly introduction to the subject Taking a clear structural framework, it guides the reader through the subject's core elements. A flowing writing style combines with the use of illustrations and diagrams throughout the text to ensure the reader understands even the most complex of concepts. This succinct and enlightening overview is a required reading for all those interested in the subject . We hope you find this book useful in shaping your future career & Business.

JOSH GIBSON AND FYNN WALKER

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