

Leaning slightly forward or sideways whilst sitting can show that you’re listening – as can a slight tilt of your head or resting your head on your hand. When you look away, looking to the side or up is better than looking down, which can seem like you want to close the conversation.Ĭheck your posture and make sure it’s open – avoid crossed arms or crossed legs, which can make you look ‘closed’ or defensive. Try breaking eye contact every five seconds or so, or to show you’re listening attentively, look at one eye for five seconds, then another eye for five seconds, then switch to looking at their mouth. Too much eye contact can be intimidating, though, so adapt this to the situation you’re in. 1. Face the speaker and have eye contactĮye contact is an important part of face to face conversation. Here are 10 easy ways to make your communication more effective and make the other person feel more valued. This is called active listening, and it can help avoid misunderstanding and reduce the potential for conflict. When we show we’re really listening, it’s much more rewarding for the person talking to you, and you’ll get more out of it too. But most of us aren’t as good at listening as we’d like to think. Listening is an important skill in all areas of life, whether you’re supporting a loved one through health problems, dealing with colleagues or in family relationships.
