Active Listening Technique

Created by Anna Fredgaard

Abstract

Communication is a crucial aspect of project, program and portfolio management. According to the Handbook 80% of a manger's time is spend on communication. Purdy defines communication as a two-dimensional phenomenon: speaking and listening. Researchers claim that listening competencies are hugely important in managerial communication . Active listening is an important tool in people management that increases the empathy and trust between the speaker and the listener .

Active listening presents the listener with a set of tools to focus on listening without being disturbed. This improves the relationship with the speaker who often plays an important role for the project, programme or portfolio while also allowing for the listener to gain more knowledge. It provides the listener with a better understanding of the topic as well as the person they interact with which can assist to avoid misunderstandings .

Active listening is a powerful tool since it is applicable throughout the entire lifetime of any project management process. Improving communication skills will improve the success of the project management. However, there are limitations to when active listening can be applied since it relies on communication being verbal and preferably also face-to-face.

Big idea

Communication is a crucial aspect of project, program, and portfolio management. The ISO 21500 standard: Guidance on project management claims that: “Success or failure of a project may depend on how well the various project team members and stakeholders communicate with each other” This is also why project managers spend most of their time communicating . Since projects are carried out by people for people, one of the essential roles of the project manager is to ensure that all stakeholder needs are met and that tasks are delegated to be performed by the project team. This way, communication relates to the people perspective of doing projects . This also means that the more people that are involved in a project, and the higher the complexity of the project, the more critical strong communication skills become for a project management practitioner .

Project communication management is a knowledge area that contains elements of determining a strategy for how to communicate effectively and hereafter how to carry out this strategy . As a project manager you job is to make decisions, and every decision you make is based on knowledge you gain from communicating with other people, whether they reside within your project or externally. It is up to you to collect this knowledge, create plans based on this, and hereafter distribute project information to your stakeholders . All these processes will be most effective if communication between stakeholder is strong. Good communication will promote understanding and corporation between stakeholders while ensuring that information is passed on accurately and unbiased . Also, effective communication will decrease the number of issues and misunderstanding arising in a project.

According to the Project Management Institute Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge Manage Communications process goes beyond just sending a message. It seeks to ensure that information is received as intended by the sender. It also wants to ensure that stakeholders can ask clarifying questions or request additional information. This includes making efforts to avoid misunderstandings and miscommunication by carefully selecting methods for communication. One technique that assist project managers in achieving effective communication management is Active Listening .

Purdy defines communication as a two-dimensional phenomenon: speaking and listening. Researchers claim that listening competencies are hugely important in managerial communication however, these are often forgotten when project management practitioners learn communications skills. As a consequence of this greater focus on delivering a message rather how to receive one, project managers lack important listening skills . According to Michael Webb most of us are terrible listeners. He claims that the most effective way to improve communication is by learning to listen more actively .

The purpose of Active Listening (also referred to as Mindful Listening or Effective Listening) to actively engage with the speaker and to express a genuine interest in what the speaker tells you. Amanda Gore expresses it this way: “True listening happens when you are in your heart, present and genuinely interested in what the other person has to say. Your desire is to understand them.” By learning Active Listening, you gain a set of interpersonal skills that can be applied in you Project Management practice but also anywhere else in your life where you want to strengthen communication with other people .

Application

Active listening is applicable in all stages of the management of projects, programs, and portfolios. Communication is key in all aspects of managing projects and sending and receiving information happens all the time . Therefore, every project management practitioner will benefit from applying Active Listening techniques to their everyday practice. The Project Management Institute Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge defines active listening as: “Techniques of active listening involve acknowledging, clarifying and confirming, understanding, and removing barriers that adversely affect comprehension”

Active Listening teaches you to stay engaged with the speaker and express a real interest in the person you talk to. This builds strong relationships with stakeholders and subordinates. This way, Project Communications Management strongly relates to another knowledge area that also concerns the people of the project, namely: Stakeholder management . Analysing stakeholder’s expectations to the project requires that you are able to listen. When you listen, your stakeholders feel that they have been heard and their respect for you increases.

Active Listening can be supported by other techniques for effective communication such as Communication styles assessment, Cultural Awareness and Political awareness skills. These techniques help the listener understand and decode the content of a message .

Active Listening in use

Active Listening relies on communication being verbal, and preferably also face-to-face . In a basic communication model, there are two actors: a sender and a receiver. The sender is the one who desired to deliver a message. In verbal communication the sender is also the speaker. The receiver is the listener in verbal communication, and thereby the one listening to the spoken message. Basic communication follows three steps . Examples are provided for each step using a conversation between a Project Manager and an employee as a case: