How to pretend to listen to the interlocutor

If you are not interested, then at least pretend that you are reading these tips.

Both your girlfriend and your boss will appreciate if they find an attentive listener in your face. They never guess that during their lengthy speeches you don’t think about their words, but puzzled over a more pressing issue.

Language of the body

Your posture must mean that you have become a rumor. To do this, go a little forward to the broadcast. If you are half-turned towards him, bow your head in his direction. In general, it is preferable to settle down facing the speaker.

No less important is the direction of your gaze. Even if your interlocutor uses a megaphone, your downward gaze or, on the contrary, wandering around the room will make him speak louder, since it will subconsciously seem to him that you are not with him.

Watch should be on the mouth of the speaker. The feeling that the listener is catching every word will intensify.

Rhythmic gymnastics

The speech of each person has its own characteristic rhythmic pattern. Try to catch the speaker’s rhythm and start tapping it gently with a pencil or finger. It is better if you will not knock on a hard, resounding surface (your head), but, for example, on the lapel of your jacket.

“This method is one of the methods of“ emotional attachment ”that help the psychotherapist to speak to the patient,” explains Anastasia. In the absence of a pencil or finger at hand, you can just as well shake your head in tune with the words.

Idle word

Do not be silent. The speaker always expects to receive a response. If the listener listens in silence, the speaker will try to provoke this reaction himself, starting to ask questions that you cannot answer, since your thoughts were far away from here.

Your words should not carry any information. Limit yourself to the usual “ug,” “well, yes,” etc. Going into more extensive remarks, never add anything from yourself to the dialogue. It is better to repeat the last phrase said completely and add: “Do I understand correctly?” Naturally, you should pronounce your remarks only in the pauses between the interlocutors’ passages.

By notes

In crowded meetings, in order to become known as a conscientious listener, you, in principle, need to sit in the front row and look into the speaker’s mouth. To enhance the feeling of the speaker that you are carefully listening, hold in your hands an open notebook. At the same time, the more weighty and thicker your weekly is, the more confidence you will cause.

To make any notes (in other words, to draw tanks) is completely optional. The main thing is to show that you are prepared for the perception of information.