Which option best demonstrates active listening during a meeting?

• A. Making direct eye contact from time to time.
• B. Nodding occasionally without paying attention.
• C. Paraphrasing what the speaker said to confirm understanding.
• D. Checking your phone while the speaker talks.

Answer: (C)

Active listening means fully engaging with what the speaker is saying, showing you’ve understood and can reflect it back to verify meaning. Paraphrasing the speaker’s points in your own words demonstrates that you’ve processed the message, captures the key ideas, and invites the speaker to confirm or correct your understanding. This exercise helps prevent miscommunication and keeps the meeting on track, guiding decisions more accurately.

Eye contact can show attention, but by itself it doesn’t confirm you understand or retain the information. Nodding without paying attention looks like agreement without real comprehension. Checking your phone during the talk signals distraction and undermines the speaker’s message.