“If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear.” Mark Twain.

Listening is not the same as hearing. It’s important to develop a true interest on what your speaker is communicating, otherwise, you can be distracted avoiding a relevant content full absorption.

Being a good listener is really important in professional life; especially during your internship. You are here to learn, and you have to make sure that you understand all the information that is provided to you. The better you understand the speaker more confident you act and improve your performance.

There are some benefits to listening properly to your interlocutor. The main one is to build a complete interpersonal relationship. When the communication path is clear and efficient it creates a better connection to the work team and clients.

Effective listening is a must-have skill! Practising it every day develops the ability to bring emphatic thoughts to the conversation and “put yourself on other’s shoes”. In this sense, it helps you to avoid organizational conflicts, have a better understanding of the situation and earn the respect of your co-workers and superiors.

If you have difficulties with effective listening, try to learn by staying focused when people talk to you and keep an eye contact to ensure you are interested in what is being spoken.

Quick tip: By taking notes you might be able to increase the effectiveness of your listening skills!