Listening is a fantastic skill to develop because it can
pay such big dividends. Listening skills can reduce stress,
improve relationships, help you remember names, save time
and of course, sell more. Here are 5 Cool Ideas for better listening.

1. Good listeners practice listening.
Use your new skills to impress friends, business associates
and yourself. 

2. Use simple life moments to listen better.
Stop singing in the shower once in a while and listen. Listen
to how the water sounds as it falls around you. Try to identify
seven or eight different types of sounds. This simple exercise
will teach you to hear nuances in group dynamics and in
telephone conversations.

3. Listen to the bass line instead of the lyric.
When in the car, listen to songs you don't normally listen to.
Listen to the musical arrangement instead of the lyrics. Try to
identify the different instruments in the arrangement. Try
listening to just one of the instruments, like the bass guitar.

4. Turn down the noise and tune in to life.
When you really start to pay attention to sound, you'll
become aware of all the noise in our world. Block out
some of the noise by wearing ear protection when flying,
using vacuum cleaners and operating snow blowers.
Listen to the important things and tune out extraneous
offerings, like chatter. 
 
5. Reflective listening promotes connectivity.
Reflective listening is a way to show regard for the speaker. By
giving "verbal nods" such as saying "I see," "Interesting," "Hmmm,"
you relay encouragement to the speaker and promote connectivity.
It's like eye contact and nodding your head in person. Taking notes
when people talk to you is also a good listening habit. Don't hesitate
to ask people to repeat themselves. Ask immediately
so you don't feel embarrassed by asking later on.