The dos and don'ts of listening
Learning Objectives
After considering this resource, you should understand what you should do and what you should avoid when listening to service users.
Listening is an active process. In order to create a platform on which service users feel confident enough to share their experiences, thoughts and views, you will need to not only listen to what is being said, but demonstrate you are listening too.
The following quick guide provides a dos and don'ts list to aid active listening, as well as advice on dealing with group scenarios and using silence effectively.
Reflective Questions
- How might your tone help or impede a conversation during active listening?
- What ground rules can you think of for a group scenario to aid your own listening?
- How can a setting or physical environment impact listening?
- Think of some different reasons why someone might remain silent. How might you handle a silence depending on the different reasons for it?