Active listening skills 3A

Whether you’re looking to improve your listening skills in the workplace or trying to focus more on conversations with friends, the 3A active listening skill will be a great tactic. Techniques 3A – attitude, attention, and adjustment will help break down the concept of active listening so that you can handle all aspects of this skill and understand what others are saying. other said. This article will answer questions about 3A techniques. We’ll give you the basics of active listening along with barriers you may face and how to apply it in your daily life.

Table of Contents

What is 3A Active Listening?

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Attitude. The first A refers to a positive attitude when listening. Try to approach conversations with a positive attitude and limit negative thoughts as much as possible before listening to the other person finish. Your negative approach to the situation can create bias, and it will prevent you from hearing the other person or distract you from listening. ^{[1] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

You may not have much in common with a colleague who is giving a presentation, but think positively like “Mai has a very different skill set, perhaps today I will learn a lot from her presentation. there.”
This can be difficult if you are preoccupied with something else or if you are upset with the person speaking. If possible, reschedule the meeting or conversation to relieve the pressure and come back with a fresh look.

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Attention (Attention). The second A refers to a way of communicating to the interlocutor that you are listening. The gestures and language you show the other person that you’re listening will encourage them to keep talking and help you focus on what the other person has to say. You can do this by sending out cues like making eye contact, nodding when you hear them speak, smiling encouragingly, and mimicking their body language. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you’re giving a presentation, show your attention by making eye contact with the speaker, nodding, and jotting down important points in your notebook.
When talking to coworkers, try mimicking their body language. For example, if the coworker often makes hand gestures when talking, do the same. This can help the other person feel more comfortable continuing the conversation and help you establish a rapport.
Asking follow-up questions is also a great way to show the other person that you’re listening.

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Adjustment. The final A refers to maintaining an open mind when listening to others speak. When you walk into a meeting, or even a conversation with a friend, you probably already have an idea of what they’re talking about. To listen to them, try to adjust your gaze to what they have to say and be willing to change your mind. This can help you avoid ignoring what they say just because it contradicts your point of view. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

You may often disagree with a colleague’s marketing strategy. At the next meeting, try to put your everyday thinking aside and give the coworker a chance. Who knows, you’ll be surprised to see they have good ideas.
You may completely disagree with the person who is speaking. Just try to hear them all before deciding to respond or ignore them. This can help you express your opinions respectfully and rationally.

What is active listening?

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It’s a strategy you can use to hear (and understand) what people say. Active listening will help you absorb information using techniques such as eye contact, body language, and follow-up questions. These strategies help you understand and store information in work and social situations, such as meetings and chatting with friends. ^{[4] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Passive listening is when you listen to the other person without thinking about what they just said or without responding to them. Active listening involves thinking about what the other person is saying and responding with questions or feedback.
Summarizing what the other person has to say in your own words and limiting distractions (like turning off your phone and talking in a quiet place) are also ways you can practice your listening skills. motion.

Applying 3A technique in practice

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Wait for the other person to finish before responding. To give your full attention to the person you’re talking to, you need to avoid thinking about how to respond or interrupt. Maybe they have something important that they haven’t said yet, and you could misunderstand if they haven’t finished. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Let’s say you want to impress your boss with a good response during a meeting. Instead of thinking about their response as they speak, listen to what they have to say and take a few seconds to consider their response after they’ve finished.
Sometimes this happens when you get too excited about the topic at hand. If your friend mentions a band you’re a fan of, for example, it’s easy to interrupt them and talk about the band’s songs. To show respect, wait for the other person to finish speaking.

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Make a question. If you’re not sure what the other person just said, ask follow-up questions to clarify what they mean and reinforce what you understand. You can also ask a question as a way to let the other person know that you’re thinking about their words. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

“You just said this job includes customer service. Can you tell me more about this point?”
“Sounds good! Are you going to go away on this vacation?”

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Think about what the other person has just said. After the other person has finished speaking, you will most likely say the first thought that comes to mind. For a better response, take a few seconds to think about what the other person just said before responding. This will help you absorb the information they just shared. You may find that if you hadn’t taken the time to think, you’d have responded a little differently or far away. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

If a colleague is explaining a concept you don’t know, take a few seconds to reflect on what they said. Maybe you came up with a question about a detail or you found their idea unique and complimented it.

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Summarize what the other person just said. This will help you understand exactly what they are saying. Try to repeat the other person’s words in your own words to better understand what they mean. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

“So we’re going to change the way we manage customer relationships in the near future, aren’t we?”
“I see. It sounds like you’re trying new things to lead a new life?”
If you can’t summarize what the other person said, you can ask more questions or repeat them again.

Barriers to active listening

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Internal distractions can keep you from hearing what the other person has to say. Maybe you’re hungry, tired, sick, or worried about something else. Everyone gets distracted at times by such factors, but you should try to schedule time in your day or reschedule important conversations to limit this drawback. ^{[9] X Research Source}

If you’re hungry and can’t focus during employee meetings, try having an early lunch or snack just before the meeting begins. Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night to increase concentration.
Maybe you are worried about something in your personal life. Try to focus on the present. Paying attention to your surroundings and the senses you are feeling in the present moment can help.

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Outside noises can also make it difficult to hear. It can be difficult to hear what the other person has to say when there are external factors such as chattering or someone interrupting. If possible, try to arrange important meetings or discussions in places where there is little outside noise. ^{[10] X Research Source}

If you need to discuss something important with a friend, for example, invite them to a quiet coffee shop or a quiet corner of the park.
It’s a good idea to put your phone on silent before an important conversation so you don’t get distracted by the ringing of notifications.
Sometimes you can’t control much. If the surrounding chatter is too loud or the noise from the construction site outside distracts you, try to focus the conversation using other active listening tactics. If possible, you can also suggest that your partner move to a quieter place to talk.

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Feelings of boredom or lack of interest can make listening much more difficult. It can often be difficult to focus on listening when you don’t like the topic you’re talking about, but there are ways to overcome it. Try to find an aspect of the conversation or lecture that you find remarkable to make the task of listening easier. You may be surprised to find that you really enjoy this aspect of the topic and will absorb more information.

Maybe your boss is giving a presentation on the company’s budget, but you don’t care about the financials. Then focus on how effective budgeting contributes to the growth and success of your department to gain insight.

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Listening can also be difficult if you don’t understand what the other person is saying. Language barriers, disabilities and learning disorders can all affect the ability to listen. If you are experiencing these difficulties at work, try going to human resources and ask if they have any support. Talk to your doctor if you have been diagnosed with a learning disorder or learning disability, or you suspect so. They can give you the tools you need to help you focus on work and conversations with friends and family. ^{[11] X Trusted Source HelpGuide Go to source}

Learning disabilities and disorders that can affect listening include speech disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dyslexia. These syndromes are all common, and your doctor can help you make a diagnosis and choose a treatment plan.
If you encounter a language barrier at work, you can use translation services if available. Try contacting the human resources department to see if the company can help.

Steps

What is 3A Active Listening?

What is active listening?

Applying 3A technique in practice

Barriers to active listening

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