The Art of Active Listening | The Harvard Business Review Guide

You might think you’re a good listener, but common behaviors like nodding and saying “mm-hmm” can actually leave the speaker feeling unheard or dismissed. The truth is that mastering the art of listening involves a whole host of other skills as well. You need to do more.
00:00 You might think you’re a good listener, but …
00:52 … here’s how to be a “trampoline” listener.
01:25 Question 1: How do I usually listen?
01:50 Question 2: Why do I need to listen right now?
02:35 Question 3: Who is the focus of attention in the conversation?
02:54 Question 4: What am I missing?
04:30 Question 5: Am I getting in my own way?
05:08 Question 6: Am I in an information bubble?
06:04 OK, let’s review.
The advice in this Harvard Business Review Guide comes from these articles:
hbr.org/2022/05/whats-your-li...
hbr.org/2016/07/what-great-li...
hbr.org/2021/03/are-you-reall...
hbr.org/2014/04/what-gets-in-...
Produced by Amy Gallo, Jessica Gidal, and Scott LaPierre
Edited by Jessica Gidal
Video by Andy Robinson
Design by Riko Cribbs, Alex Belser, and Karen Player
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[@JH-jy1ye]

I'm an Australian and studied abroad in Sweden ~10 years ago. I remember being caught off guard when I realised Swedes were genuinely listening to what I had to say and treating it as meaningful, rather than just waiting for their turn to say something. I still consider myself very fortunate for having this experience and have tried to listen 'the Swedish way' ever since.

[@riteshshukla5605]

Congratulations

[@miam3652]

How about Australian way ?

[@jrleighty9790]

I first watched this video while writing an email, having multiple tabs open, and trying to get a deliverable for work done at the same time. Many times in a remote work environment, it's easy to get distracted by an abundance of noise that we have in front of us which can make active listening challenging. I know I fall victim to this many times... I watched the video through a second time with zero distractions and gave it my full active listening/attention and there's definitely a lot of actionable advice i'm going to hopefully bake into my personal/professional life. Cheers HBR for the insightful video!

[@shannonhpolson]

Amy, thank you for this-- active listening is so critical for all of us, and so difficult!

[@carlosdejesus84]

I just came across these HBR videos, they are awesome!! Straightforward, full of insight and with a lot of practical tips!!!

[@Thomek5369]

oh my gosh, its so true! I attached my own experience of every step you desribed! Great job, big thank you!

[@adiroots]

The more I try to improve my listening skills, the more I realize how rarely I feel listened to or heard. I am constantly in conversations with friends who are distracted by their phone or something else.

[@weiyingchen549]

Nice video, as a interpreter and a teacher this helps me a lot, thanks for making this video!

[@AVKBA]

Thank you Amy and HBR for insightful session on active listening.

[@emineorhan7484]

Thanks so much I have been making these mistakes unintentionally for a long time. I used to think that I was listening people and encouraging them by saying " I see it was not easy for me if I handled with this one you could do as well:)"

[@phyllisjeanfulton]

I listened. I wrote all suggestions on how I might be listening into my journal this morning. I’m. frequently a mind wandering 80 year old and finally am seeing my inadequate focus. 😊 I appreciate this video. Thank you for awakening my thoughts 😅❤

[@akshayverma5429]

Good luck Phyllis!

[@ponteespasandin]

Excellent content and super clear way to present! Just to reinforce HBR you are the best!!!😍👏👏👏👏👏

[@bradkoerner1]

Exceptionally well crafted video! Thanks!

[@cherylwhitehamrick5267]

Good information, This has been my IDP for this year and love this. Thanks

[@williamjayaraj9257]

Thank you HBR for this video. Very informative.

[@Hasans01]

Quieting internal monologue...million dollar question!!

[@andrewtate1205]

Study old path white cloud sir

[@adamabdallaadam3073]

Thanks for making knowledge free much love

[@mikej9062]

For something so transformative and beneficial to our ability to articulate with others, I'm shocked that this got so few likes.

[@gaelg8664]

Hi, First of all, thank you so much for these precious advice. I'm pretty sure we could expand these quality in personal life, because it is getting hard to find sincere listeners around us. Thanks again and take care.

[@MrJulianDS]

Just came accross this video and find it so very interesting, as it gave me a very clear picture of the process of being a better listener. I think it'd be great if you could mention also what could help us remember or keep in mind what we've just listened to. Thanks again.

[@okaydoubleu]

I used to think I was a good listener; not anymore. This video made me reflect, now I am keen to practise to be a good one, for real.

[@bluedragontoybash2463]

1. Title: "The Art of Active Listening | The Harvard Business Review Guide" 2. Good listening involves more than just staying silent and repeating what was said. 3. Listening is an active, noncompetitive, two-way interaction. 4. Authors Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman advocate for being an active listener like a trampoline, providing height, acceleration, energy, and amplification to the speaker's thoughts. 5. Recognize your default listening style, whether it's task-oriented, analytical, relational, or critical. 6. Consider the goals of each conversation and determine the most suitable listening mode. 7. Listen without an agenda to process the other person's words without formulating an immediate response. 8. Be aware of who the focus of attention is in the conversation. 9. Sharing personal stories can establish connection, but avoid steering the conversation away from the speaker. 10. Ask, "What am I missing?" to delve deeper into the unsaid aspects of the conversation. 11. Good listening goes beyond nodding and repeating; asking questions signals understanding and invites more information. 12. Pay attention to verbal and nonverbal cues to uncover unexpressed emotions or vulnerabilities. 13. Example: Instead of dismissing concerns with reassurance, ask open-ended questions to encourage further detail. 14. Question yourself: "Am I getting in my own way?" Address internal insecurities or distractions that hinder deep listening. 15. For senior leaders, listening is an imperative skill with more at stake. 16. Leaders may find themselves in information bubbles where employees avoid tough conversations. 17. Kevin Sharer advises leaders to listen purely for comprehension without judgment, agenda, or distraction. 18. Leaders should actively seek input from all levels and create an atmosphere prioritizing trust over hierarchy. 19. Review: Most conversations benefit from being active, supportive trampoline listeners. 20. Assess your default listening style to improve listening skills. 21. Consider the other person's needs in the conversation to determine how to best listen. 22. Be cautious about sharing personal experiences that may divert attention from the speaker. 23. Ask questions not only about what is said but also about what may be left unsaid. 24. Address internal obstacles to truly listen deeply. 25. Senior leaders should question if they are in an information bubble and actively seek input from all levels. 26. Practice listening purely for comprehension without judgment. 27. Create an environment that prioritizes trust over hierarchy for open communication. 28. All strategies mentioned are based on HBR articles. 29. Encourage viewers to share their own listening strategies or suggest topics for future HBR videos. 30. Closing: Thanks for watching, and the HBR team is listening.

[@BossPetta]

Thanks a lot for the subtitles! I'm an English student, and when I find interesting content, I really like good subtitles (not automatically generated)… so… THANKS! 😄

[@jannisduckek8526]

Great video! :) This was really helpful.

[@TheCharlie2l]

Thanks for this short guide. When I'm listening there's always another me inside my head formulating how to respond next and what the other person would think of me. That's incredibly annoying because I can't take in what the other person is actually saying!!!

[@mihaiapostol7864]

write it down (fast) then focus on the listener 😀

[@warrenferster9082]

Great advice! Thanks for sharing.

[@465DSP]

Thank you for the great tips.

[@SafiullahWasiullah]

Great video. Thanks for sharing

[@amiraboodi2075]

So remarkable. I love it.

[@bezalelthecreative8503]

Thank God! need this the most when talking to my wife

[@shabnamroy4388]

Great lessons in the video. How about one on helping leaders navigate ambiguity and cope with change.

[@MrSamwhetsel]

Wow! I just realized that I’ve been active listening, but the problem has been that i am active listening to the wrong people. Sometimes I find myself in the conversation and actively listening to the dumbest people I’ve ever come across in my life and I’m applying this information to all the weird shit that’s coming out of their mouth, imagine a Harry Potter sort of long-winded conversation that has now gone off the rails because I’ve been so engaged.

[@sampol1000]

My day starts with listening what I love to listen 🤪🤠🤟

[@flirtuall78]

Really helpful, thanks for sharing.

[@yogiprayogi7432]

Thank you, HBR😍👍🏻

[@onlinesaidasa9105]

Hi Amy, Thanks for the guidance

[@ashwinjaiswal6224]

Great video!! If you can talk about emotional intelligence and practices one must adapt to have good balance

[@mahinevan.9781]

I'm so proud of you

[@navanjungrewal9853]

Very interesting video. Thanks!

[@imamsanji]

When my friend and I talking, I used to avoid eye contact because it's a bit uncomfortable, so I look at everything else but I keep listening and responding.

[@BBVGHVDVGH]

This is a great video.can you also make a video on GROUP DISCUSSION ?

[@gh705]

I hate when someone is talking to me about a subject and my first answer is hmm, aha. That is a piece of good advice, I need to improve. Thanks

[@lucianojanducci9907]

Thanks for the video.

[@LukePuplett]

If this resonated, then I recommend the I Hear You podcast, the Michael S Sorensen one, esp. ep3.

[@TeacherNeillKEnglish]

I'm coming back to this soon

[@profekevincoleman6727]

Thank you so much! This is great! We would love it if you could teach us how to talk with a toxic manager. Thank you so much! Adult Business English class.

[@DigsWigs2022]

Great lessons.

[@arjunkrishnas3841]

Thank you so much 😊

[@vibdib]

Listen with your eyes. It's very important to maintain eye contact all the time. This shows you are interested and engaged in what the other person is saying

[@futbalverse007]

Listen more than you talk always win friend.🙌🙌

[@Aspectt10]

This video just proved me I am the best listener of all time 😂😊

[@KitaKatt1988]

Something to keep in mind is a tactic that you can purposely make an argumentative person feel ‘ unheard’ to stop arguing etc. ☺️

[@liuswandi]

nice video, i would like to request for HBR to cover more video about leadership style in the new era. thank you

[@harvardbusinessreview]

We are working on one right now, actually! We'll have a video from Harvard Business School's Linda Hill on what makes a great leader, in the next couple weeks.

[@eleuttherus]

Great video, gracias.

[@A.L.P.D.]

Nice video. Thank u.

[@Squirreler359]

Its possible to do when you have enough energy and mental clarity.

[@consultoriadesarrollo7534]

Beautiful

[@nitinjaiswal7224]

Thank you

[@RomeroYsuCasaVencedores]

I love it. Deep

[@myRikkena]

Thank you! 1. Be active listeners 2. Trust 3. Why do I need to listen it now

[@supattrasoykheeree3083]

Thank you very much

[@twenties3154]

Amazing

[@LD-wf2yt]

In a world in which the love for wisdom is missing another catchy phrase that everybody “knows about” yet no-one goes deep enough to understand it. Doscussing A/L at a superficial (blame like fashion) reminds me of the Streetlight Effect, or the story “The Six Blind Men and the Elephant”. Another question to ask: If A/L is a solution what is the problem? Alternatively, what is the context?

[@purplerain5305]

Could you please talk about how to work with a busy supervisor during an internship?

[@user-ur7ct9dy8c]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 Good *listening involves more than silence and repetition; it requires active, noncompetitive engagement.* 01:22 Recognize *your default listening style (task-oriented, analytical, relational, or critical) and adapt based on the situation.* 02:19 Ask *yourself why you need to listen, considering the goals of the conversation, and focus on the speaker without an agenda.* 03:18 Pay *attention to verbal and nonverbal cues, ask insightful questions, and avoid redirecting the conversation to yourself.* 04:46 Overcome *internal obstacles like insecurities to truly listen, especially crucial for senior leaders to avoid information bubbles.* 06:13 Aim *to be an active, supportive trampoline listener, seeking comprehension without judgment, agenda, or distraction.* Made with HARPA AIti

[@bymnaraz]

thank you very much

[@CoronaVirus-uy1cw]

Good job

[@paperpaper9713]

practice active listening by engaging with what people say by giving affirmative replies and asking follow-up questions to show that you are paying attention.

[@aryavijaykumar4700]

Thank you all very much

[@eyemnew2991]

Active listening used to work at my work place It don't work anymore. If you have a problem or know about a problem in the work place you're supposed to report it to the higher up management. Now, higher up management tells you to take your complaint to the department supervisor, you take your complaint to the department supervisor and they tell you to take it to higher management, which is what you just did. You get a lot of run around. In my work place, there are a few ppl who need to be out.

[@civilpse5458]

Interesting listening.

[@umermughale8946]

what's this background music? its awesome

[@Cranstal]

I was told a conversation about a problem someone is experiencing revolves around three questions. How long have they had the probem? Do they know what caused the problem? Do they know how the problem could be solved? As the listener, you are just a mirror that the speaker can use to discuss their problems and explore their options. I was also told you should be neutral and you should make no value judgements.

[@NASARANI]

Thanks

[@pedrokarandeniya162]

what about listening with people from different cultures or virtual international teams?

[@clementgavi7290]

Listening is attentiveness and availability to perceive. In other words, to hear, feel, and see. The situation that the reason may not be able to fathom, the heart that is also a faculty of perception may be able. God speaks to the hearts.

[@chunleizhang77]

The Art of Active Listening 1. How do I usually listen? 2. Why do I need to listen right now, what is the purpose? 3. Who is the focus of attention in the conversation? 4. What am I missing? Speaking up and ask good quesitons. 5. Am I getting in my own way? Good listening is an imperative (crucial) skill. 6. Am I in an information bubble?

[@nannosuharno8805]

Thanks a lot 👍🙏

[@TaseenSaqeeb]

How would you quiet an internal monologue?

[@sabrar]

I think the last one refers to "unbiased listening"

[@delliscool4924]

I wish to see new ministry that helps people who talk to apps like siri , where siri can detect any trouble in the conversation..

[@lucasm9172]

Can i get a TL,DR on this?

[@chhanubhaimistry5246]

I have observed that LISTENING is a key soft skill required of managers and senior leaders.

[@christineodonnell2711]

Great

[@FreeVoice001]

❤❤❤

[@markelijohnjavierpascual4112]

Suggested topic/s in a future HBR Video/s: Emotional Intelligence and Empathy

[@lovelyblackcat66]

I can't believe I dated such a beta and crybaby last year named "Rodrigo " who would say "Mmmhmm" and nod their head. I swear every time there was a conversation of concern brought up on my part, this guy would have narcissistic impulsive reactions or even break down afterwards. Again, all I wanted was some solutions and great positive feedback. Whether its a professional or personal relationship its totally healthy to engage in having discussions about negative and positive circumstances. By having a defensive wall up every time; there's no chance of having a partner that truly comprehends. Listening and comprehension are two different things, but ones without common sense won't understand this at all. Honestly, this starts with our parents and to be blunt their relationship lacked composure from what I saw, so I guess he was just a product of his environment.

[@Listner12]

How to remember something for a long time?

[@KitaKatt1988]

With combos..

[@godsinbox]

Had to watch this in 1.5x speed

[@user-dj2pq8xp6k]

Too much ❤❤

[@jraboca6721]

👊🏽

[@InshruTripathi]

In this day of excessive even false information, how do I know what to listen to? And more importantly, even whom to listen to?

[@ruskinyruskiny1611]

A lot of what I had to listen to in my job was pure BS

[@grad.bondhon9561]

Hey, The char in this demo is the hidden characters of most of the females. Believe it or not!!!!

[@Anannt_Urjaa]

Ask Good, Relevant Questions (to cover unsaid topics 😊)

[@solomonreal1977]

No spoilers 😑

[@KitaKatt1988]

You can learn how to ‘ Dismiss’ a personality like that

[@KitaKatt1988]

Speaking in terms of maybe a ‘ narcissistic personality’ etc.

[@KitaKatt1988]

I think I’m a default critical thinker!

[@danielomorain7134]

And, “what is the actual message?’

[@ravinr9583]

This lady is so beautiful!

[@iameenitube]

Could you share some tips on how to handle a situation when other other party is a monologue style of speaker not leading to a conversation . Thanks