“It is called active listening because the listener has a very definite responsibility. He does not passively absorb the words that are spoken to him, He actively tries to absorb the facts and feelings in what he hears and he tries, by listening, to help the speaker work out his own problems.”
Carl Rogers and Richard E Fabon
Helpful hints for active listening:
- Don’t think about what you will say.
- Don’t ignore or deny the other person’s feelings.
- Don’t talk about yourself or change topics.
- Don’t advise, diagnose or criticise.
- Don’t pretend you have understood if you haven’t.
