There’s a surefire way to seem smarter and be more likeable among your co-workers and bosses, says Harvard University associate professor Alison Wood Brooks: Actively listen to what they’re saying.
Active listening requires more than silently absorbing information — you need to demonstrate that you’re engaged by asking follow-up questions or paraphrasing and repeating what the other person said back to them, says Wood Brooks, who teaches a Harvard MBA course called “How to talk gooder in business and life.”
“Successful conversationalists and successful employees go a step further” than a perfunctory head nod and making eye contact, she says, adding: “Listening to somebody’s answer then probing for more information is a superhero move, and a shockingly low number of people think to do it. You should show [you’re listening] by saying [you are] out loud.”
Listening carefully requires genuine focus. It’s also a subtle way to show off to your colleagues and managers, whether you’re in meetings or one-on-one conversation. By asking great questions and referencing previous parts of your conversations, you’ll showcase your high level of competence, build trust in your relationship with the other person, says Wood Brooks.
