Will you join me for 30-day marathon to be an effective communicator?

Day 1: Be a good listener
Your challenge for today is to phone a friend or relative you haven’t seen or spoken to in a while, and then use the conversation as an opportunity to practice your active listening skills. You don’t need to be on the phone for hours, just try a 20-minute catchup. Ask them what they’ve been doing lately and strive to listen attentively.

Tips to be a good listener:

Use non-intrusive verbal and non-verbal signals to encourage them to
keep talking
Let them keep going until they run out of steam
Do not play the role of armchair psychologist
Do not interrupt with unsolicited advice
Re-phrase someone else’s words, but don’t parrot them back
Check your assumptions
(reference: 21 Days of Effective Communication, Ian Tuhovsky)