THOUGHT PROVOKER Why do you think closed questions should not be used during the initial information gathering part of the
interview?
Active listening Active listening can be one of the most important tools that an incident
investigator/interviewer can have. Active listening will enable you to
successfully gather information. Incident investigators should be able to
absorb and understand the information given by an interviewee without
interruption.
Good incident investigators need to learn to listen first and speak second
so that meaningful balanced communication always takes place. People
have two ears but one mouth… what does this tell you?
Active listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing is about being aware
of sounds. Listening requires action; you need to concentrate so that you
process and understand the meaning of the message and can respond accordingly.
This is often represented using four stages: hearing, attending, understanding and remembering.
Hearing is simply being aware of a sound.
Attending is the act of filtering and screening, so you actually pay attention to the message. This is particularly important (and
difficult) if you have issues with the person delivering the message. We need to listen through our prejudices and focus on the
message not the messenger.
Understanding means we comprehend what is being said and decode the information we are being given. You should not
just switch off until it is time for you to speak again. Listening properly is the only way we can really understand what people
need, or what they think about a particular issue or idea.
Remembering means committing information to memory, an essential requirement for active listening. It is also the only way
to ensure continuity and the important act of building rapport. It is not always easy to do, so make notes if needed. There is
little point in a conversation, the sending and receiving of information through a communication channel, if the content of this
exchange is instantly lost.