Improve Listening Skills by Mirroring Gestures

An article in the NY Times offers suggestions for enhancing listening skills. According to Gretchen Neels, a workplace consultant, better listening allows you to get things right the first time, build better relationships and find the nuances behind what is being said. She says that “mirroring” the gestures of the speaker puts the listener into the same groove. Ms. Neels says that if you are feeling very connected, you are probably mirroring each other’s body language since it something people automatically do in situations where they are comfortable. She also advises listeners to: maintain good eye contact; sit without fidgeting; nod your head or lean toward the speaker; and not interrupt. (NYT Shifting Careers.)