All Posts by Andrew Ward

Work and social discussions needn't be frustrating time wasters. Active Listening is the number one skill for transforming them into productive dialogues. In this 'Active Listening How To' article I strip the process right back to its fundamentals in five easy, immediately usable steps with examples - what it is and how we can use it in all our conversations to listen better.

Ever been here? The discussion has been going for a while. Suddenly, silence snaps you back into the room. They’re awaiting your response… We all have. Our brains are wired this way and a certain amount of wandering is important for a healthy brain. [1] But when listening for crucial information, we need to know how to focus. Here are 9 strategies for helping improve your focus.

Good listening relies on attitude. Proven listening techniques are essential to effective listening. But our listening attitude is the difference between those techniques bringing forth meaningful, honest, profitable conversations or hollow and insincere ones, which others can sense a mile away. Genuinely seeking to understand the speaker needs to be our top motivation.

Emotions are integral to conversations. A speaker conveys vital information through their feelings and attitudes as well as their spoken words. And while listening, those ideas trigger emotions inside us, either supporting or opposing what we’re hearing. Emotional intelligence is knowing how to leverage these emotions in a manner that enhances our understanding of the speaker’s message. This is something that we can all develop.

Christmas for many in New Zealand is a wonderful - albeit slightly crazy - contrast of traditional, hearty winter roasts and steam puddings consumed on a scorching summer day. Social conversations during the holiday season can be equally contrasting, from sedate family news to rampant political conspiracy debates! But these gatherings are also opportunities to delve into fascinating, fun, and stimulating topics. Here are some conversation starters and listening tips to get you talking.

As a good listener our goal is to understand the total meaning of the speaker’s message - the content and feelings - from their perspective. Ultimately, achieving this goal comes down to mindset, continually choosing to listen moment-by-moment throughout every conversation. How do we do this?