L – Listen

You will only gain this level of ‘true’ understanding if you actively listen to what is being said and observe the behaviors of those involved in the communication. Active listening is a communication technique, which requires the listener to feed back what they hear to the speaker, by way of re-stating or paraphrasing what they have heard in their own words, to confirm the understanding of both parties. Make sure that your own verbal and nonverbal communications convey the message you want.

Remember, use your observation skills throughout the exchange to gauge the attitude and acceptance of your audience. Ensure that you are totally focused on what is being said and feed back your own understanding of what you are being told.

If you do this you will avoid any unnecessary confusion and misinterpretations that often occur when someone does not take the time to listen properly.