Joy Bonfield-Colombara

Active listening is a communication technique that requires the listener to understand, interpret and evaluate what they hear. The ability to listen actively can improve personal relationships through conflicts, strengthening cooperation and fostering understanding. People often are not listening attentively. They may be distracted, thinking about other things or about what they are going to say next.

The latter case is true in conflict or disagreement. Active listening is a structured way of listening and responding to others, focusing on the speaker. Suspending ones own frame of reference, suspending judgement and avoiding other internal mental activities are important to fully attend to the speaker.