How can you use active listening to ensure everyone's voice is heard in team discussions?

Using active listening in team discussions involves paraphrasing others' ideas for clarity, asking open-ended questions to encourage further input, and providing visual and verbal cues to show engagement, ensuring all perspectives are acknowledged and valued.

I found helpful that being an Active listener is a communication skill that involves going beyond simply hearing the words that another person speaks. It's about actively processing and seeking to understand the meaning and intent behind them. It requires being mindful and focused participant in the communication process. I find it very important to have good and active listening techniques, because it enables you to focus on the intent and purpose of the conversation, as well as paying close attention to body language. Active listening helps others feel comfortable sharing information with you. Active listening is the ability to focus completely on a speaker, understand their message, comprehend the information and respond thoughtfully.

Active listening goes beyond simply hearing; it's about fully understanding and acknowledging your teammates. Imagine a team discussing a project launch. You, as an active listener, pay close attention, summarize key points from different perspectives, and ask clarifying questions. This demonstrates your respect for their opinion, encourages them to elaborate, and ensures their voice is valued in shaping the team's final decision.

Escutar ativamente envolve presença. Uma boa escuta envolve principalmente dar o protagonismo da conversa ao interlocutor, demonstrando estar atento e interessado no que o outro tem a dizer. Isto significa concentrar-se não só nas palavras do discurso como também nos diversos sinais de comunicação como a postura, os gestos e expressões, a velocidade da fala e o tom de voz. A escuta ativa é uma escuta consciente e permite que o outro tenha a percepção de estar sendo ouvido e acolhido em sua partilha através dos sinais de compreensão do ouvinte como o olhar ou pontuar determinada fala.

Active listening is an important tool for fostering inclusive discussions. By attentively tuning in to each participant, to grasp their perspectives but also cultivate an environment where everyone feels valued. Through reflective responses and clarifying questions, to ensure that every voice is not only heard but genuinely understood, promoting collaboration and harnessing the collective intelligence of the team. This approach not only enhances the quality of discussions but also strengthens team cohesion and innovation.

Because it offers space for people to be heard and their ideas validated. Even if not used, being able to share things and being listened to is a powerful motivator that supports the feeling of belonging. It can also be a great support to problem-solving and combined with compassion it offers space to share things that are important yet hard to discuss.

- Suggest exercises or games that focus on active listening and communication skills. - Share resources: Recommend articles, books, or online courses on active listening that everyone can learn from. - Lead by example: Consistently demonstrate active listening yourself during team discussions, and provide positive feedback when others do the same.

Active listening is important because you want everyone on the team to feel seen or heard. You want everyone on the team to feel they are a valued member of the team and their ideas matter. Active listening can give someone who is shy or quiet enough courage to speak up if they truly feel you care about their input. It can help teammates open up to each other.

One way to be an active listener is to practice active listening and also using the 80:20 rule of 20% talking and 80% listening. This ensure that you listen attentively not just to respond but to actually understand what is being communicated. Communication is incomplete if the message passed is not comprehended by the receiver. Team members can be encouraged by including their ideas in what ever project is being developed. And when they see that their thoughts are being considered, it give them a sense of inclusion and encourage them to contribute more in subsequent discussion.

Active listening is very important in team discussions. You can improve this by paying attention to what is being said, by asking insightful questions, and by reflecting and responding politely and respectfully. Giving positive and constructive feedback and acknowledging your team members' contributions while avoiding interrupting, dominating, or criticizing others are qualities exemplified by a good listener Other tips that could be helpful are: ✅️ Face the speaker and have eye contact ✅️ Listen to non verbal cues ✅️ Stay focused ✅️ Don't interrupt the speaker ✅️ Don't impose your opinions or act as if you know it all Active listening is very important to help you avoid conflict and misunderstanding

Promote Inclusivity: Actually walk the walk and not just talk the talk. It is very easy to beat around the bush and refer to the organization's "inclusive policies". You should get in the habit of bringing it up and checking in regularly to make it part of the team culture. Show by Example: Be the change you want and start by building the trust and rapport needed to facilitate the transformation process. You can express your opinions, thoughts, and ideas in a respectful manner while asking and encouraging feedback to your ideas. Practice, practice, practice: It takes time and practice like with most things in order to better actively listen in a team environment. The most useful thing that you can do is not to be afraid of making mistakes!

Active listening takes practice. Here are a few tips on how you can hone your listening skills: 1) Pay attention-Make mental notes about the speaker’s broader point, as well as a few specific things they’re saying. 2) Show that you’re listening- The speaker can tell if you’re paying attention. Make eye contact, nod when appropriate, and give small verbal comments like “yes” and “huh.” 3) Offer feedback- When the opportunity comes up, you’ll be able to offer insightful feedback on what was said. 4) Don’t jump to conclusions! -Ask for clarifications so you can avoid making unfair assumptions.

Praticar a escuta ativa é tipo ajustar a equalização para uma melodia perfeita nas discussões em grupo. Primeiro, desligue o "modo que só você fala" e sintonize no “ouvido afiado". Faça contato visual, foco no interlocutor, sem interrupções. Tente repetir a ideia dos outros, mas com suas palavras, afinando a sintonia da compreensão. Abra espaço para todos possam falar. Equilibre a harmonia, garantindo que todos se sintam ouvidos. Por fim, não economize nos elogios e agradecimentos. Reconhecimento motiva e engaja o grupo. Afie seus ouvidos, entre na batida do grupo e faça das discussões um espetáculo memorável, que certamente será lembrado por todos.

Practicing active listening in team discussions is fundamental to effective and constructive communication. Focus on the person who is speaking, avoid distractions, and maintain eye contact to show interest and attention. Show interest in what the person is saying by asking relevant questions and responding appropriately to encourage further contributions. Sometimes, people need time to articulate their thoughts. Don't press for immediate answers, and be willing to listen entirely before forming an opinion. Practicing these active listening skills can take time and effort but can significantly improve the quality of team discussions and foster a more collaborative and productive working environment.

In my opinion, one way to practice active listening in team discussions is to think about the speaker's idea/point of view for some time and analyze it. When we share our thoughts we should start with where we agree with other team members' ideas/ points and then we should add on to these ideas and finally, we share our new ideas.

Two decades in high corporate communication I have learned you do not respond in the conversation with "But." "But..." give the impression whatever you're about to say is contradictory to the other person's statement. As an active listener, you respond and continue with the phrase "Yes, and..." to show that not only you have heard the other person, you also agree with them, in addition, you have something constructive and positive to contribute to the continuation of the conversation. "Yes, and" put on you the same side, not across the table.

The best way to eliminate barriers to effective listening is through learning and practice. It might take some time for individuals to recognize when they allow these barriers to affect their conversations. Once they do, some strategies can be implemented to improve how you listen. Although listening can be difficult at times, it is essential for communication and relationships. Practice looking for these barriers when you have difficulty listening or trying to understand someone else’s point of view. With this knowledge, you will be able to improve your listening skills and become an effective communicator in control of the barriers to active listening.

To be an active listener I first need to do something that requires constant practice: I need to set myself aside. My interests, my motivations, my hidden (and my overt) agenda, my curiosity, my inner running commentary, my opinion, my judgement, my very noisy insecurities and all my concerns. I need to set aside my nearly irrepressible tendency to feel somehow responsible, to offer solutions and attempt to fix things. It’s very presumptuous and invasive to assume the person I am listening to needs saving. When I set myself aside, I reduce my tendency to jump to conclusions, to plan what to say next, to assume I know what the other person is going to say or how they feel. I interrupt less, since instead of reacting to my own.

Listening is one of the macro skills to be fully mastered. It is truly very challenging to be an active listener. It needs focus and attention. You have to watch out for gestures aside from the words uttered by the speaker to fully comprehend what he is trying to convey. Contextual cues must be noted also. While someone is speaking, you can take down notes to serve as basis for clarifications once there is an open discussion. Listen attentively by not disrupting the speaker. Communication is a two way process. One must listen while the other one is speaking and vice versa. Be polite and respectful in asking questions so as not to offend the speaker or anyone in the room. Besides, your personality is also at stake here. Be humane

The way it worked for me is by practice, practice & practice. Practicing to keep quiet, despite knowing the answer. I must admit, it was really hard for me initially because we are always in busy mode and want to get things sorted quickly and move on to another burning issue but once you have learnt staying quiet, it automatically takes you to listening mode. I also would like to add, staying quiet without any other distractions (emailing on the side, or responding to other messages etc.)

Promote Inclusivity: Actually walk the walk and not just talk the talk. It is very easy to beat around the bush and refer to the organization's "inclusive policies". You should get in the habit of bringing it up and checking in regularly to make it part of the team culture. Show by Example: Be the change you want and start by building the trust and rapport needed to facilitate the transformation process. You can express your opinions, thoughts, and ideas in a respectful manner while asking and encouraging feedback to your ideas. Continuous Improvement: Use a constant improvement and feedback channel structure where there are regular check-ins with members of your team. If people don't feel like they are being heard, you want to know that!

To encourage active listening in your team, lead by example, demonstrating attentive listening during discussions. Establish clear expectations for active participation and respectful communication. Incorporate activities that promote listening skills, such as reflection exercises or round-robin discussions. Provide feedback and recognition for active listening efforts. Foster a supportive environment where all voices are valued and heard. Encourage team members to practice empathy and validate each other's perspectives, fostering a culture of understanding and collaboration.

Encourage active listening in your team by setting a tone of respect and openness. You should try to be a role model by actively listening yourself. Using structured communication,for example: round discussions, encouraging everyone to share their thoughts. Praise instances of good listening. Make sure everyone feels their perspective matters, creating a culture of engaged communication.

Set clear expectations: Emphasise the importance of active listening and its benefits to the team's success. Lead by example: Demonstrate active listening during team meetings and discussions. Establish guidelines: Create ground rules for communication that prioritise listening, such as taking turns to speak and avoiding interruptions. Provide training: Offer workshops or resources on active listening techniques to help team members develop their skills. Foster a supportive environment: Encourage an atmosphere of mutual respect where everyone's perspectives are valued and heard. Offer feedback: Provide constructive feedback to team members on their listening skills and acknowledge instances of effective listening. Facilitate discussions

Criar o habito da escuta ativa no grupo é fundamental para melhorar o engajamento. Primeiro, criar o habito da comunicação sincera e assertiva, incentivando todos possam falar e olhar nos olhos uns dos outros. Promover, discussões entre os temas abordados, proporcionando aprendizado e colaboração, deixar claro que todos tem a palavra isso gera a comunicação simétrica. E não podemos esquecer, na escuta ativa, devemos criar o habito de elogiar e agradecer, isso sem duvidas gera proximidade e empatia entre os membros do grupo.

In my experience, active listening is heavily dependent on team culture, past experiences, and team dynamics (trust, rapport, style). If team members are used to not being listened to and unheard, then it will be very difficult to promote active listening if that has not been the case. However, if the team has a history of trust, transparency, and support, there may already be a very strong level or presence of healthy active listening. Ensure you "actively listen" by "actually listening"!

Structure the session so everyone can be heard. Simple "think, pair, share" rather than open discussions where only the loudest and most confident contribute changes the dynamic. Use post its to gather answers, vote on the best then have a chair / leader share them. Anonymous input of ideas can allow the best ideas rather than the "squeaky wheels" to be heard.

As part of active listening, it is important to ensure that everyone who wishes to speak has the opportunity. If you notice a colleague is being regularly talked over, please intervene to give them an opportunity to speak and hold space while they do so.

Active listening requires one to be fully present and focusing only on what the person speaking is actually saying without letting our bias or tendency to formulate a response before said person has completed speaking. It’s a skill that is not easy for most to acquire but once you have, it’s invaluable

Para praticar a escuta ativa durante um bate com nossa equipe, precisamos nos concentrar em entender completamente o que cada pessoa está compartilhando. Fazendo perguntas para esclarecer pontos de dúvidas e mostrar interesse nas diversas perspectivas, criando um ambiente acolhedor, garantindo que cada voz seja valorizada e ouvida.