Active Listening
Active listening is more than just a communication skill for Decatur Police officers; it can be a game changer, especially during stressful situations when someone is deciding whether or not to engage with you. It significantly impacts your effectiveness, safety, and the quality of your interactions with both the public and your colleagues.
As Lexipol Co-Founder Gordon Graham states, “In law enforcement, the ability to communicate is one of our most important tools.” He emphasizes that both speaking and listening are essential for being an effective law enforcement officer, adding, “Take a few minutes to listen compassionately and empathetically to what they’re saying. And who knows—you might even hear some valuable information.”
“The quality of our listening determines the quality of our influence.”
Self-Assessment:
Active Listening
Please take a few moments to contemplate the following self-reflection questions. Where can you identify opportunities for personal growth in your leadership?
Am I fully present and focused during interactions, without being distracted by other thoughts or tasks?
Do I approach each conversation with an open mind, free of preconceptions or biases about the individual I am speaking with?
Do I use verbal affirmations (e.g., “I see,” “Go on,” “I understand”) to indicate that I am actively listening?
Do I ask clarifying questions to ensure I fully understand the information being shared, especially in complex or high-stress situations?
When someone provides information, do I summarize or paraphrase their key points to confirm my understanding before responding?
Am I aware of the emotional state of the person I am speaking with, and do I respond to their emotions with empathy and appropriate verbal or non-verbal cues?
Do I refrain from interrupting or interjecting my own opinions, allowing the speaker to express themselves fully before responding?
After an interaction, do I reflect on my listening skills and consider whether I understood the other person’s perspective accurately?
Take your time and reflect upon these questions honestly. Going forward, use your responses as a tool to assess your active listening skills and discover the areas that need development.
While there’s no universal formula for how best to communicate, improving our listening skills benefits us in all of our interactions. Most of us like to think we are good listeners, but it’s easy to get distracted and not really focus. Being an engaged listener means going beyond just hearing the words being said; it is about actively trying to understand the other person’s perspective. Active listening involves giving your full attention, asking clarifying questions, and providing feedback to make sure you've understood correctly.
By actively listening, you show the other person that they matter, which ensures they know their insights are valued and their concerns are valid. This simple act can profoundly transform the dynamics of your department, creating a culture of mutual respect and collaboration.
Here are some additional benefits that come from active listening:
Active listening helps build trust and rapport with community members.
During high-stress situations, active listening can help de-escalate tensions.
Active listening ensures that officers fully understand the details provided by witnesses, victims, and suspects, leading to more effective and accurate case resolution.
Active listening shows respect and a willingness to understand community concerns, fostering better relationships and a more cooperative environment.
By actively listening, officers can better assess situations and the emotional states of individuals they encounter.
Active listening helps officers clarify information and intentions, ensuring they fully understand the context before taking action.
Active listening is a key component of crisis intervention, allowing officers to connect with individuals, understand their needs, and provide appropriate support or referrals.
As you may have experienced firsthand, active listening is a vital skill for police officers. It supports effective policing, builds community trust, and enhances officer well-being. By navigating complex and diverse interactions, active listening contributes to more positive outcomes for both law enforcement and the community.
In every conversation, you have two primary goals: to accurately understand the message being communicated, capturing both the explicit content and the underlying emotions, and to show genuine interest, engagement, and compassion towards the other person. This second goal is not just about kindness—which is valuable in itself—but it’s rooted in human nature: when people feel unheard, they disengage from the conversation.
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
Recently, the Ken Blanchard Companies conducted a leadership survey of over 800 professionals to identify the most critical leadership skills needed in their organizations.
At the top of the list? Listening. It ranked above other leadership skills such as building trust or managing change.
Blanchard’s study confirms what many of us know: the most important leadership skill for success is listening. For a police officer, who serves as a leader in the community, this skill is invaluable. Listening costs virtually nothing but can yield incredible results. Whether it’s ensuring personal success, resolving conflicts, or building trust within the community, officers must consistently listen well in every interaction they have. Just as listening to clients is crucial for business success, actively listening to the concerns and needs of community members is essential for effective policing. Moreover, failing to listen to those closest to us—our family, spouses, children, parents, and friends—can cause us to miss out on some of life’s greatest blessings. In every role, from law enforcement to personal relationships, listening is the foundation of meaningful connection and effective leadership.
Demonstrating active listening as a police officer requires a combination of verbal and non-verbal techniques, all aimed at ensuring the speaker feels heard, understood, and respected. Here are some best practices:
Encourage Elaboration: Use questions like “Can you tell me more about that?” or “How did that make you feel?” to invite the speaker to share more details and emotions.
Clarify and Explore: Ask questions to clarify points that are not clear or to explore the situation further. For example, “When you say you were scared, what exactly were you afraid might happen?”
Acknowledge Emotions: Recognize and name the emotions the speaker might be feeling, such as, “It sounds like you were really frustrated” or “I can see this is very upsetting for you.”
Show Empathy: Demonstrate empathy through both words and tone. Statements like “That must have been difficult” show that you understand and care about their feelings.
Avoid Distractions: Put away any devices or paperwork, and focus solely on the person speaking to demonstrate that they have your full attention.
Provide Verbal Affirmations: Use short phrases like “I see,” “Go on,” or “I understand” to show that you are actively following the conversation.
Paraphrase or Summarize: Repeat back what the speaker has said in your own words to confirm your understanding. For example, “So, what you’re saying is…” or “It sounds like you’re feeling…”
Stay Calm and Composed: Even if the speaker is upset or hostile, remain calm. This helps to keep the interaction constructive and prevents escalation.
Avoid Interrupting: Let the speaker finish their thoughts without interruption. This shows respect and allows them to express themselves fully before you respond.
Acknowledge the Situation: Validate the speaker’s experience by recognizing their feelings or the difficulty of the situation. For example, “I understand why you’re upset; that would be frustrating for anyone.”
Offer Reassurance: If appropriate, reassure them that their concerns are being taken seriously and that you are there to help. “I’m here to support you and will do everything I can to assist.”
Give Time to Respond: Allow the speaker to think and respond without rushing them.
Use Silence Effectively: Sometimes, a pause can encourage the speaker to share more. Allowing silence shows that you are giving them the space they need to communicate.
By following these best practices, police officers can create a more positive, effective, and respectful environment for communication, which is essential for building trust, resolving conflicts, and effectively serving the community. Each practice is designed to improve the quality of your interactions, ensuring that you not only hear but genuinely listen to and connect with the people around you.
Enhance your understanding of Active Listening by reviewing the following resources. Take this opportunity to enhance your leadership effectiveness and expand your influence within the department and community.
How to Become a Better Listener
Robin Abrahams and Groysberg
Strategic Listening: How Managers, Coworkers, and Organizations Can Become Better at Listening
What Is Active Listening?
Amy Gallo
The Art of Listening
Simon Sinek video (3:07)
