Active Listening Is More Than Just Paying Attention...

With an ever-increasing number of communications channels – like email and voice mail and texts for starters – the importance of listening has never been more, well, important, writes Kevin McMurdo in From Sponge to Trampoline: Putting the “Active” in Active Listening. Because in spite of the technology, success in the legal profession continues to be built on personal relationships, which in turn are able to flourish when lawyers demonstrate active listening habits:

“Active listening, we agreed, meant (1) paying attention to the visual aspects of listening such as body language, facial expression and tone of voice, (2) listening with intent and (3) repeating what we heard for clarity and understanding.”

But there’s more to it than that, of course. Read the post for an overview of what McMurdo – and the heads of a leadership development consultancy who analyzed the listening behaviors and characteristics of more than 3,400 people – think are the essential traits of a an active listener. Then start doing it.