BACK
Other times, the consequences are more severe. A patient’s life is on the line if the surgeon and anesthesiologist do not communicate well. An authorized entrant in a “permit required confined space” could be crawling into a death trap if they do not communicate properly with the attendant. Half of all communication is listening. The best listener not only remembers what was said, but engages in the conversation throughout. This is known as active listening. Simply put, active listening is making a conscious decision to understand what is being said. This may sound like something we do automatically, but there are a lot of things to consider when listening actively.
Pay Attention
This may sound obvious but being attentive is one of the harder things to accomplish. Make eye contact with the person you are talking to. Clear your mind of racing thoughts. Don’t think about what you plan to do after the conversation. Don’t even think about what your response is going to be when the person is done talking. Make the conscious effort to only hear what is being said by the speaker.