Chris is a communications coach who helps people become more thoughtful, effective communicators. In his new series The Art & Science of Conversation, each session focuses on a specific skill you can practise and apply immediately, combining practical tools with real conversation experience in a relaxed, guided setting.

How often do you actually feel heard in a conversation? And how often are you truly listening, not just waiting for your turn to speak? This week’s session explores Active Listening: the skill of listening to understand, staying present and engaged, and responding in a way that moves conversations forward rather than shutting them down.

Through guided discussion and practice, you’ll learn how to ask better questions, follow ideas more deeply, and connect more meaningfully with the people you’re speaking to. It’s simple, but not easy, and once you start noticing it, you’ll realise how rare real listening actually is. Expect a session that feels calm, practical, and transformative in the way you communicate every day.

Chris 是一位沟通教练，主要帮助大家成为更有思考、更有效的表达者。在他的系列活动《The Art & Science of Conversation》里，每一场都会聚焦一个可以立刻练习和用起来的沟通技巧，把一些实用的方法和真实的对话体验结合在一起，用一种轻松、有引导的方式来进行。

在一段对话里，你有多常会真的感觉“被听见”？又有多少时候，你其实并没有在认真听，而只是等着轮到自己说话？这一次的主题是“主动倾听”：也就是带着理解去听，保持专注和投入，并用一种能让对话继续推进的方式回应，而不是把对话卡住。

通过引导式讨论和实际练习，你会慢慢学会如何问出更好的问题，如何更深入地跟进对方的想法，以及如何和对话对象建立更真实的连接。听起来很简单，但真正做到其实不太容易，而且一旦你开始留意，就会发现“真正的倾听”其实挺少见的。这会是一场节奏比较放松、很实用的活动，也可能在不知不觉中改变你日常沟通的方式。