Indeed, Britni, “active listening” is a skill to be practiced and mastered. It involves direct eye contact with the speaker and using non-verbal cues, like head nodding or a gasped facial expression, to connect actively with speaker and show you’re really listening.
Three other interpersonal communications points to consider regarding active listening:
1) You will never learn anything by blabbing away with a motor mouth. Only by listening attentively and absorbing what’s said can you learn and grow from new knowledge absorbed.
2) When you do have to talk, speak in terms of the other person’s interests—not your own—to get them to open up. Then begin actively listening. It’s also good manners to engage people in conversation on topics of interest to them, not necessarily to you.
3) If you can get people to start talking about themselves, they will usually keep on talking, and then consider you a good conversationalist when they’re talked out—even though you were just listening actively.