Listening cited as a 'top business skill'.

• Author: Heffes, Ellen M.
• Position: MANAGEMENT - Brief article

Listening is a skill that can be learned, and more than 35 recent business studies indicated that it's a top skill needed for business success.

In the following, Joe Takash, a career and performance-management coach and author of Results Through Relationships: Building Trust, Performance and Profit Through People, shares tips for becoming a better listener.

* Practice Silence. Remaining quiet can be a challenge, as you feel compelled to interrupt. It takes discipline to remain silent, but it's important to make a conscious effort to say nothing until you're sure the speaker has finished his or her thought.

* Eliminate Distractions. During meetings, shut the door, don't glance at your computer for emails and make the person you're listening to feel that they've got 100 percent.

* Focus Your Attention. Give the other party undivided attention to reflect and consider the literal meaning of what is being said.

* Use the "Repeat Principle." Paraphrase what you thought the other person said. For example, "If I'm...