Active listening in 3 steps

The simplest way to ease a conversation: first want to understand, then answer.

Here’s how

1. Let them finish: don’t interrupt, don’t silently build your answer already.
2. Reflect back: “Did I understand right that … matters to you?”
3. Only then your view, calmly and without blame.

A calm self-help exercise, no substitute for therapy. Leave out whatever doesn’t feel good.