How important is active listening in team communication?

Active listening should be part of the communication plan.

Active listening is a learned skill requiring effort on the part of the listener to hear what a presenter is saying and to understand the message. Active listening in teams provides and opportunity to add value to the team but also to build collaboration and team effectiveness.

If a person is genuinely making an effort to listen it will not be perceived as insincere, rather as a welcomed attribute of the presentation. This works because the presenter will know that the presentation is not boring or failing. In an organization, teams need to be communicated goals to unite them and motivate an efficient and effective effort to reach those goals. Teams are a common feature in the modern business world due to globalization making effective active listening a necessary component of communication. The importance of this listening will require practice as well as planning by team leaders. The following elements should be considered when planning communication for the team as well as for individual active listening:

Pay attention- keeping focus on the speaker is achieved through eye constant contact, taking notes, and actively trying to commit to memory important information.

Show you’re listening- while it might seem artificial, nodding, smiling, and laughing at jokes (even if they are not funny) has the positive impact of focusing attention as well as promoting team collaboration.

Provide thoughtful feedback- Be sure to ask questions and comment on the subject because this also focuses attention and promotes team collaboration.

Don’t be judgmental- It is easy to form opinions about a subject while listening due to the fact that people think faster then the presenter can deliver the subject, but if you’re doing this than you are not listening. There will be plenty of time after the presentation to ask questions and clarify points.

Respond Honestly but with politeness- Being honest does not require clubbing someone with the truth. This is often a problem that goes beyond word choice and becomes an issue of tone. The manner in which you communicate is equally important to what is said and rolling eyes and shrugging can communicate a negative tone along with word choice (Owl Purdue University, 2014).

References

Owl Purdue University. (2014, January 25). What is Tone? Retrieved from Owl Purdue University: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/652/01/

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