Listen to and greet the client in a pleasant, respectful and accepting way
Listening is very different from hearing.
Hearing is receiving the actual information given to you, while listening involves paying attention to what is being said.
Listening involves giving the person your full attention, while attempting to understand the person in their social context, and letting them know you are genuinely interested in what they have to say.
Active listening means you are paying all of your attention to the other person and are concentrating on what that person is saying.
The skills of active listening include:
- Looking at the person while they are talking and taking into consideration all facial expressions.
- Leaning towards the individual to show that you are paying attention and being attentive.
- Concentrating on what is being said.
- Paying attention to your body language and presenting yourself as having a keen interest in what is being said, e.g. turning towards the client, ensuring you are sitting or standing in a relaxed position, and using appropriate facial expressions.
- Observing the body language of the client, e.g. if the client appears uptight or nervous, you may need to respond using calming techniques.
- Listening to the tone of voice of the individual - this can be indicative of how the other person feels or is responding.
- Staying calm and patient and avoiding interrupting the other person.
- Where necessary, clarifying the information that has been presented to ensure you understand it.
Keep in mind that each individual has their own complex history and background. Therefore, it is possible that they will express themselves in different ways and not all people will have the ability to express themselves well.