Of the many free online resources available on Active Listening, I enjoyed John Grohol’s helpful, readable article, which touches on the several aspects of this essential modern-day skill in a point-by-point format.  The U.S. State Department also has a fine, brief summary; I liked the State Department’s emphasis on the use of silence — which, in contrast to Grohol, does not always need to be a comfortable silence.  Sometimes a slightly uncomfortable silence is the best way to encourage a person to say more.  Finally, the University of Colorado Boulder returns with a useful article including many links for further reading.

I recommend a study of Active Listening to every professional who deals with people.  Active Listening is an essential skill set for therapists, teachers, diplomats and police, but even if your job doesn’t center around listening, Active Listening skills come up constantly in all of our professional and personal lives.