Active listening is a communication method that can radically improve helpline services. So what is it, and how does it help advisers counter their unconscious biases?
What is active listening when call handling and why is it so important?
Active listening is the practice of focusing on what a speaker is saying without judgement, rather than just passively hearing them.
It’s about giving the speaker your full attention while they are talking – not planning how you’ll respond. That gives the speaker the space to open up and share the issues that are troubling them.
Active listening was developed by psychotherapists, and is now widely used with individuals and groups of all ages in settings such as counselling, teaching, community organising, and conflict resolution.
For helpline advisers, it’s a vital tool to help you build a deeper understanding with callers, and tailor your response to each individual – something we pride ourselves on here at Connect Assist.
What are unconscious biases?
We all have unconscious biases, which are learned in early childhood and often contradict our conscious beliefs.
For example, we may believe that genders are equal. But deep down, our unconscious bias might be that men are better at leading, while women are better at parenting.
Those biases often influence our actions – even when we’re trying to be open-minded and fair.
For helpline advisers, they can affect the way we respond to callers, and the support we offer. So we must strive to overcome them, and offer each individual caller the personalised support they really need – not what we mistakenly assume they need.
What’s the difference between passive and active listening?
The average person spends a lot of their day listening – even if they’re not a call centre adviser! Research suggests that on a day-to-day level, we spend 70-80% of our time communicating, of which 55% is listening.
But how much of that is actually focusing on another’s words, rather than just letting them wash over us?
Tests of listening comprehension show that on average, we listen at just 25% efficiency. The problem arises partly because people speak at 125 words per minute, but we can process words at 500 per minute.
That means the listener might get distracted, jump to conclusions, mentally dismiss what the speaker is saying, or start planning their response.
Active listening, however, involves using that extra time to pick out the key points of what the speaker is saying, summarise them effectively, and examine whether the conclusions are logical. It is the art of listening effectively and efficiently.
The 3 As
To get to grips with active listening, you first need to master these basic listening skills: the 3 As.
- Attitude: You need to be respectful of the person you’re listening to, and prepared to learn from them. Never think that what they’re saying is a waste of time, or make snap judgements. This helps you think beyond your biases.
- Attention: The fundamental difference between active and passive listening is attention. It’s essential that you focus intently on what the speaker is saying. This is easier said than done – we’re all prone to distractions, or drifting off! You may need to find ways to practise concentrating, such as puzzles or meditation.
- Adjustment: You need to keep an open mind as the speaker talks, and follow what they’re saying. If the speaker meanders, or is hard to follow, you still need to stay with them closely. Don’t try to pre-empt where they’re going, or start thinking about your response. This flexibility is key.
These three principles underlie the art of active listening. Now, let’s move on to the details.
Make SPACE
It takes empathy, effort and lots of practice to develop active listening skills. But it’s easy to remember the key points with the acronym SPACE.
Paraphrasing
There are several techniques you can learn and practise to improve your active listening skills. One of the key tools is called “paraphrasing”, and is important for reflection and clarity.
Let the speaker talk freely. Don’t try to interrupt with solutions, suggestions, elaborations or anything else.
While they’re speaking, don’t start thinking how you will respond. This distracts you from your task, which is to listen attentively.
Wait till they’ve finished speaking, then ask questions that are as open as possible – avoid leading statements. For example, you could say: “I understand that you are upset about X. Can you tell me more about this?”
Once finished, you can summarise the key points – that is, paraphrase what they’ve just told you. This shows you are listening, and gives you both a chance to reflect on what’s been said.
Invite the speaker to correct or clarify anything you’ve paraphrased.
Finally, tell them what you will do with the information they’ve shared, and what steps you are going to take now.
Positive reinforcement
While it’s important not to interrupt the speaker, sitting in stony silence can be intimidating! It can lead to the speaker clamming up, as they don’t feel that what they’re saying is being taken on board.
The key is to use gentle positive reinforcement to show you’re engaged, and encourage the speaker to continue.
Demonstrate that you understand key points by nodding or saying “yes”, “uh-huh”, or other sounds that demonstrate appreciation.
If you’re on a video call, you can also use body language. Smiling or nodding where appropriate shows that you empathise with the points they raise.
Top tips for effective active listening
Active listening begins before a person starts to speak. You should educate yourself about all the factors that might affect your callers’ experiences: e.g. read newspaper reports and analyse data.
Take diversity training to bolster your efforts to combat your hidden biases.
It’s not just a speaker’s words that count – it’s their manner. On a call, you might notice their tone of voice is subdued, nervous, or angry. On a video call, look at their body language: it could be tense or defensive.
Likewise, take care to keep your own body language open, and your tone of voice warm and empathic.
Take care with questioning: don’t bombard your caller with queries.
Practise! With time and effort, this way of communication will become second nature to you.
Contact Maximus
At Maximus, we provide all helpline advisers with training in diversity issues and active listening. To find out more about our outsourced contact centre services, get in touch today.
