Listening is not just passive hearing. It is an active participating experience in which you pay genuine attention to what the other person is saying. Here are some principles that should help you become a better listener:

1. Don’t grab the conversation: “Yes, now take me, for instance …”
2. Don’t let your gaze wander from the other person’s face except momentarily.
3. Validate the feelings of the other: “Yes, I see what you mean.”
4. Don’t interrupt.
5. Don’t try to top the other person’s story or joke.
6. Don’t criticize.
7. Ask appropriate questions: “What happened then?” or “How did you feel?”
8. Don’t argue.