How Active Listening Increases Retention

According to Forbes, most individuals spend about 45% of their day listening. That means we’re missing big chunks of information daily. Taking the time to actively listen and understand your team is linked to an increase in trusting relationships and collaboration.

Reflect on how active listening increases retention

Learning how to increase retention by actively listening is fundamental in developing and honing your communication skills. Start by simply taking a moment to reflect.

How much information do you really retain when listening?

Exercises to help you increase retention by actively listening

Now, it's time to put your reflection into action. Finding opportunities to implement your communication skills can allow you to increase retention.

• Let your team know you’re all ears even if you’re familiar with certain topics. Consider: “I believe I’ve touched on this idea before, but I’m excited to learn more.”
• Document shared understandings when learning a new concept. When you track decisions, deliverables, or discussions you align yourself with the team’s expectations.
• Repeat the important information back to the speaker once they’re done talking. To ensure you’re on track, gather the central ideas and paraphrase them back to them.