Listening is a key part of effective communication and leadership—and becoming a better listener is easy to do with practice.

“Listening can help leaders navigate challenging situations, find common ground with others, and restore positive working relationships,” writes leadership coach Rachael Grail in a recent SmartBrief article. “Listening means being willing to set aside predetermined conclusions and trying to discover the benefit of the thoughts, values, ideas, and perspectives of the various people on your team. It’s also something that anyone can do.”

Grail offers practical advice to help you improve your listening skills:

• Commit to learning to listen better. “Listening is a developed skill, not an intuitive one,” Grail points out. “When we learn something new, we have to be highly conscious of what we’re doing before we become truly competent. As we practice, it becomes easier. Give yourself room to practice and make mistakes.”
• Follow these three techniques: The most important task in listening is understanding. To improve your understanding, be curious about what the speaker is saying. Express concern about their thoughts and feelings. When responding, mirror or paraphrase their exact words to demonstrate.
• Practice and improve as a team. If you and your team prioritize listening, a culture of trust and safety is created explains Grail. “This means people are more willing to voice their concerns, share their ideas, and connect with their teams. With that level of openness, you ultimately get better solutions and better productivity in whatever you are trying to do. This also means your team is more resilient, so when conflicts and challenges come up, you can more easily repair and move forward in an authentic and lasting way.”

For more advice, read “How listening as an ally can create positive workplace relationships.”