Give the speaker your full attention
Put away distractions
Make eye contact
Avoid interrupting
Listen to understand, not to reply
Let the speaker finish their thoughts
Use small verbal cues like “I see” or “Go on”
Ask clarifying questions
Reflect back what you heard
Pay attention to tone and body language
Be patient with pauses
Avoid judging too quickly
Stay present in the conversation
Practice empathy
Summarize key points
Remember important details
Resist planning your response while they speak
Be open-minded
Accept that you do not need to have all the answers
Practice active listening regularly