What Does a Good Audience Do?

• The process of listening during a conversation can be likened to being an audience for a concert or some other performance. When someone starts to tell you a story or says something that could be the beginning of a story, act like you are watching a show and that the show has started. Engage emotionally, make sure your body language shows interest, and use short statements like: “what happened next”, “then what”, “uh huh”, “keep going”, and “I’m with you” to encourage the speaker. Fight the urge to insert yourself into the conversation, even if you have a similar story. If the story includes concerns of the teller, be sure to take them seriously, even if they don’t seem serious to you.

Share this: