1. The Essence of Active Listening
Active listening means giving your full attention to the employee without immediately judging or offering solutions. This helps the employee feel heard and understood, which is essential for a confidential and supportive conversation.
2. Techniques for Active Listening
Eye Contact and Body Language
Your non-verbal communication plays a major role in how the other person feels during the conversation.
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Maintain regular eye contact without staring.
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Nod and smile to show engagement.
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Use an open and relaxed posture, such as leaning slightly forward.
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Avoid distractions like looking at your phone or taking notes while the other person is speaking.
Paraphrasing and Summarizing
By summarizing the employee’s words in your own words, you show that you are listening and help the other person organize their thoughts.
- Example of Paraphrasing:
- Employee: “I feel ignored by my manager.”
- Confidential Advisor: “You feel like your manager isn’t taking you seriously?”
- Example of Summarizing:
- “If I understand correctly, you feel excluded and need more recognition at work. Is that right?”
Allowing Silences
Many people feel uncomfortable with silences, but in conversations, they can be very powerful.
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Silences give the employee space to think and continue speaking.
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By not responding immediately, you avoid interrupting or unintentionally steering the conversation.
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A brief pause after a remark can encourage the employee to explore the topic more deeply.
Probing Further
By asking open and focused questions, you encourage the employee to share more.
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Use open-ended questions: “Can you tell me more about that?” or “How did that make you feel?”
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Avoid yes/no questions, as they can shut down the conversation.
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Use reflective questions: “What would you like to change in this situation?”
Affirming and Acknowledging
People often feel vulnerable when sharing their problems. It is important to show that their feelings are recognized.
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“That sounds like a difficult situation.”
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“I understand that this affects you.”
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“It’s understandable that you feel this way.”
3. What to Avoid in Active Listening
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Interrupting: Let the employee finish speaking before responding.
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Giving unsolicited advice: This can make the employee feel they are not being taken seriously.
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Judging or minimizing: Saying things like, “Oh, it’s not that bad,” can make the employee feel misunderstood.
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Being distracted: Make sure to stay fully focused on the conversation and avoid external distractions.
By applying active listening, you as a confidential advisor can have deeper conversations and help employees feel heard and understood.