Make sure you heard right. If you didn't hear or don't understand what someone said, have them say it again. Ask them to explain it. Know what the other person wants. Watch body language.
Body language is a person's gestures, tone of voice, body posture, and facial expressions.
It may say more than words. People don't like difficult situations. They may not look at you, use unnatural words, or pause a lot. if they do, ask questions to help them. Some words such as gay, abortion, and so on can upset us. This stops us from listening.