How To Hear

Being a better listener doesn’t mean you have to stay silent. It means you value people enough to give them space to be heard.

We live in a world where everyone wants to be heard, but fewer people are willing to really listen. The truth is, listening is one of the most underrated skills you can develop, and it will make you better in your relationships, your career, and even in how you understand yourself.

Let’s take a look at a few qualities that can make us better listeners:

1. Be Present
Most of us aren’t really listening, we’re just waiting for our turn to talk. Put the phone down, eliminate distractions, and give the other person your full attention. Presence communicates value.

2. Listen to Understand, Not to Reply
Instead of forming your response while someone else is speaking, try to focus only on what they’re saying. Ask yourself: What are they really trying to communicate? This shift changes conversations from surface-level exchanges into meaningful connections.

3. Ask Questions
A great listener draws more out of people by asking clarifying questions. “What happened next?” or “How did that make you feel?” shows that you care and that you’re engaged in the conversation.

4. Pay Attention to What’s Not Said
Tone, body language, and emotions often tell you more than words alone. So don’t just listen with your ears, listen with your eyes.

5. Reflect Back
Summarize what you heard. You can say something like “So, what I’m hearing is…” This not only ensures that you understood correctly but it also makes the speaker feel heard.

Being a better listener doesn’t mean you have to stay silent. It means you value people enough to give them space to be heard. When you listen well, you build trust, strengthen relationships, and often discover more than words can say.