The Art of Active Listening with Heather Younger

Listening is important for our interactions and our ongoing relationships. Heather R. Younger joins Kevin to talk about active listening, which is more than nodding your head and repeating what someone says. Active listening uses your senses to recognize what is unsaid. Active listening is about engaging with the other person, showing interest, and understanding their emotional state. Active listening is about taking the time to research, reflect, and analyze the feedback or request received. Active listening is acting, even if the action is a compromise or a no. Lastly, active listening is consistently closing the loop to show that their voice is valued and their feedback matters.

Listen For

00:00 Introduction to the importance of active listening
02:14 Heather Younger's background and motivation for focusing on listening
06:23 Definition of active listening as understanding what others want
08:38 The five steps of the active listening cycle
11:44 Step 1: Recognizing the unsaid
15:15 Step 2: Seeking to understand
18:28 Step 3: Decoding and reflecting
22:43 Step 4: Taking action
24:46 Step 5: Closing the loop
30:00 Conclusion

Meet Heather

• Name: Heather R. Younger
• Her Story: