Philip H Levy is an expert in active listening. There are two main components to active listening: non-verbal and verbal feedback. Non-verbal feedback like making eye contact and good posture demonstrates listening. Verbal cues like short clarifying statements also show active listening. Reflecting on the speaker's emotions can show deeper understanding, and only offering advice after fully understanding the issue prevents rushing or ignoring the speaker.

1. Keys to Active Listening
By Philip H Levy

2. Introduction
• The chief strategic advisor of Mind Over Mist, Dr. Philip H
Levy also serves as the managing director of C2C, where he
oversees a network of executives and business leaders and
establishes business-enhancing dialogue among its members.
Since 2011, Philip H Levy has also served as the President and
owner of PHL HP Consulting Group, Inc., where he is
dedicated to helping businesses cultivate and maintain top-
quality teams through techniques that work at home or in the
office, like active listening.
An essential element of communication, active listening helps
the speaker feel listened to and understood, and it helps the
listener remain fully engaged in the conversation, instead of
simply waiting for a pause to get his or her point across.

3. Active Listening
• There are two main components to active listening:
non‐verbal and verbal feedback.
Non‐verbal feedback demonstrates listening to the speaker
and may take the form of any number of responses conveyed
through body language. For example, if the listener wants to
engage the speaker and demonstrate interest, he should make
eye contact and maintain good posture – leaning or slouching
back is usually a sign of disinterest and boredom. Also, the
listener should not become distracted by the clock, a phone, or
fidget, all of which are signs that the listener has other things
on her mind. Verbal cues are a definite sign of active listening
since they cannot be posed like some non-verbal cues.

4. Conclusion
• While it can be valuable for the listener to
interject short repeating statements for
clarification, reflecting on the emotions of the
speaker can show deeper understanding of what
the speaker is saying. Another verbal key is to
only offer advice or a solution after the speaker
has explained the issue. If the listener tries to
solve it too quickly, not only can he miss
information but it can also make the speaker feel
rushed or ignored.