Don’t offer unasked advice. Lending a supportive ear can often be much more helpful than providing advice and opinions. Active listening gives people the space to find their solutions. If there is a solution that you’re burning to offer, check whether it’ll be well received by asking ‘can I make a suggestion?” first.
Ask questions to check you’ve understood. Checking you’ve understood somebody correctly makes a person feel valued and heard. It also helps you stay focused. Try checking in by asking things like “Did you mean x…” and drawing somebody out with open-ended questions like “How did that make you feel?”
