Many people neglect this most important communication skill.

Do you know that we spend an average of our waking day communicating?

Of this communication time, 9% is spent writing, 16% reading, 30% talking and 45% listening.

Immediately after hearing something, most of us can recall only 50% of what we hear. Within two to eight weeks, we can recall only 25% or less of the original message. Our mental attitudes reduce our ability to retain what we hear.

Some suggestions to being a good listener are mentioned below.

First of all,

stop talking----you can’t listen while you are talking.

Ask questions----when you don’t understand, when you need further clarification, when you want them to like you and when you want to show that you are listening.

Don’t interrupt----give them time to say what they have to say.

Concentrate on what they are saying---- actively focus your attention on their words, their ideas and their feelings as they relate to the subject.

Look at the prospect---- by looking, it gives them confidence that you are, in fact, listening. It helps you to concentrate too.

Leave your emotions behind----try to forget your own worries and problems. Leave them outside of the meeting room. They will prevent you from listening well.

Understand the main points ----concentrate on the main ideas and not the illustrative material.

Don’t argue mentally----when you are trying to understand other people, it is a handicap to argue with them mentally as they are speaking. This only sets up a barrier between yourself and the speaker.

Use the difference in rate----you can listen faster than you can talk. So use this rate difference to your advantage by staying on the right track, anticipating what they are going to say, thinking back over what they have just said and evaluating the development of their argument. You speak at about 150 words per minutes, but you think at 250 to 500.

Learn to listen and you will achieve a great success in your life.

许多人忽视了这一最为重要的沟通技巧。你是否积压物资我们醒着时有一半的时间是用来沟通的?在这段时间里，9%是通过写，16%是读，30%是说而45%是用来听。

一听完某件事，大多数人只能记住其中之一的50%，两至八个星期内，我们只能记得原信息的25%，甚至更少。我们的精神状态削弱了我们的记忆能力。

以下是关于怎样做个好听从的建议：

首先，停止讲话——你说话时是无法听。

问问题——录你不甚理解，你需要进一步澄清，当你希望他们喜欢你并且想证明你正在听时。

不要打岔——给他们时间说他们必须说的一切。

集中精神听他们说——当他们说到主题时，主动把你的注意力放天你们的言语思想和感情上。