Active Listening 101

What draws people to a great listener? They know that the basis of any solid connection is something fundamental: safety. At its heart, safety is freedom from risk, danger, or harm. Conversational safety falls right in line, offering freedom from judgment, fault-finding, or rejection.

Good listening is an essential skill for every leader. It's hard to listen well when you're distracted by your own thoughts, opinions and judgments. How to suspend or change what’s happening in your own head to actively listen is a learned practice. One that you can master.