What is the best way to demonstrate active listening during a conversation?

Making eye contact and observing body language is the best way to demonstrate active listening during a conversation. Active listening involves fully engaging with the speaker, which means not only hearing their words but also understanding the emotions and intentions behind them. Eye contact signals that you are focused and interested in what the speaker has to say. It builds trust and helps to establish a connection, making the speaker feel valued and heard.

Observing body language further enhances this active listening process, as nonverbal cues can provide important context to the spoken words. For instance, a speaker’s facial expressions, posture, and gestures can reveal their feelings and confidence level. By being attentive to these cues, you can respond more appropriately and empathetically to the speaker.

In contrast, interrupting to provide immediate feedback might disrupt the flow of conversation and cause the speaker to feel undervalued. Taking detailed notes can be useful in some contexts, but if it distracts from your engagement with the speaker, it detracts from demonstrating attentiveness. Similarly, formulating a response while the other person is still speaking can lead to missing crucial parts of their message, as your focus shifts away from them to your planned response.