People often use the words hearing and listening interchangeably, but they describe two very different processes.
Hearing is passive. It is the physical act of detecting sound.
Listening is active. It requires attention, interpretation and a genuine effort to understand what another person is communicating.
This distinction matters in every workplace. When people merely hear one another, instructions can be misunderstood, concerns can be missed and relationships can quickly deteriorate. When they listen properly, communication becomes clearer, trust improves and tasks are more likely to be completed correctly.
You can hear someone speaking without absorbing what they are saying.
This often happens when you are:
Listening requires a deliberate decision to focus on the speaker and understand both the words being used and the meaning behind them.
It is not simply about staying silent. It is about being mentally present.
Active listening involves using specific behaviours to demonstrate attention and improve understanding.
These include:
The purpose is not to perform interest. It is to create the conditions for a genuine and productive conversation.
One of the most important parts of active listening is giving the conversation your complete attention.
Put away your phone, stop typing and avoid looking around the room. Even small distractions can make the other person feel that what they are saying does not matter.
Being fully present also helps you notice information that may not be expressed directly, including hesitation, frustration or uncertainty.
In a workplace setting, this can prevent misunderstandings and help identify concerns before they become larger problems.
Eye contact is an important sign of attention.
It reassures the speaker that you are engaged and not distracted by something else. However, it should feel natural rather than forced.
The aim is not to stare continuously, but to maintain enough visual connection to show that you are present and interested.
Body language matters too. Facing the speaker, nodding occasionally and keeping an open posture can all support the conversation.
Questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” often close a conversation prematurely.
Open-ended questions encourage the speaker to explain their thoughts in more detail.
For example:
Instead of asking:
“Are you unhappy with the project?”
Try:
“What concerns do you have about the project?”
Open questions demonstrate curiosity and help uncover information that might otherwise remain hidden.
Useful phrases include:
Listening does not mean agreeing with everything another person says.
It means making a sincere effort to understand their perspective.
You can recognise someone’s feelings or concerns while still holding a different view.
For example:
“I understand why the delay was frustrating, even though there were operational reasons behind it.”
This type of response acknowledges the other person’s experience without pretending that both parties see the situation in exactly the same way.
People are often highly sensitive to insincerity.
Pretending to understand or care may create more damage than saying honestly that you need further explanation.
False empathy can appear through:
Genuine empathy requires attention, patience and a willingness to see the situation from another person’s point of view.
One of the biggest barriers to listening is mentally preparing what to say next.
While the other person is speaking, you may be constructing your argument, searching for a solution or waiting for an opportunity to interrupt.
At that point, you are no longer truly listening.
Try to focus entirely on the speaker’s message before deciding how to respond.
A short pause after they finish is often more effective than replying immediately. It gives you time to think and shows that you have considered what was said.
Repeating or summarising the speaker’s main point is a powerful way to confirm understanding.
For example:
“So, the main issue is that the maintenance delay affected your team’s deadline. Is that right?”
This gives the speaker an opportunity to correct any misunderstanding.
It also demonstrates that you were paying attention and helps keep the conversation focused.
Communication is influenced by more than vocabulary.
Tone of voice, pace, facial expression and posture can reveal emotions that the words alone do not.
A person may say they are “fine” while sounding hesitant or visibly tense.
Active listeners pay attention to these signals without jumping to conclusions. They may gently ask:
“You seem concerned. Is there anything else you would like to discuss?”
Strong listening skills can improve:
For managers, listening is especially important. Employees are more likely to raise concerns, share ideas and admit mistakes when they believe they will be heard without immediate judgement.
This creates trust and supports a healthier workplace culture.
Facilities Managers communicate with a wide range of people, including employees, clients, contractors, suppliers and senior leaders.
Each group may have different priorities and levels of technical knowledge.
A building user reporting a problem may not describe it accurately, but careful listening can reveal the real impact of the issue. A contractor may highlight an operational risk indirectly. A client may express dissatisfaction through tone rather than direct criticism.
Listening carefully allows FM professionals to understand the problem before trying to solve it.
During your next conversation:
Like any skill, active listening improves through practice.
Hearing happens automatically. Listening requires effort.
The strongest communicators are not always the people who speak most confidently. They are often the ones who make others feel understood.
By being present, asking thoughtful questions and focusing on understanding rather than responding, you can reduce misunderstandings, strengthen relationships and communicate far more effectively.
Good listening is not passive. It is one of the most active and valuable forms of communication.
