You are rated for your communication skills when you are a good speaker as well as a good listener. A good conversation is the one that lets both parties get equal amount of time to speak. And when someone else is speaking, you have got to listen otherwise you will never be able to assess their opinions.

You give your opponent respect when you show that you are listening to them. A good listener is the one who keep eye contact with the other person while they are speaking. Let the speaker know that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say. Dont look here and there, or listen to other sounds in the room to distract your attention. If your mind starts wandering bring it back immediately and try to concentrate on what is being said.

Sometimes people want to empty their hearts out in front of a trustworthy person. If that person is you then sincerely listen to what they have to say and give advice after analyzing the whole matter. Dont interrupt them while they are speaking and keep a straight face throughout the conversation. Nod frequently while listening to the other person to let them know that you are actually listening and not thinking something else. Smile if something humorous comes up and make sure that smile reached your eyes.

If your mind wanders in between an important conversation, then stop the other person there and then and ask to recapture some important details before moving on. If you pretend that you had been listening, and then the other person asks you something about what they just told you then it will be very embarrassing for you. Try to make mental pictures of what the other person is speaking about. This way you will be able to concentrate more on their words. Dont jump to conclusions by just listening to a small part of what the speaker had to say and ignoring the rest of the conversation. First listen intently and then give words to your thoughts.

If you dont have time to listen to a person then tell them honestly and plan another meeting to carry on with a conversation. If you dont have enough time and you cant concentrate, then interfere in a long story to make it short. Dont be rude. Ask them politely to wind things up quickly so that both of you can make effective use of the time available.

You can also become a good listener if you try to develop interest in the conversation by asking questions of your own. Make sure that you only ask relevant questions which tell the speaker that you were listening intently.

Just follow these simple steps and learn to become better listeners to have flourishing relationships.