Here are ten things you can do to improve your listening skills. Approach the listening experience from a state of To be centered is to be calm at a very deep level, to be without agendas or predispositions as to the outcome, and to be open to experience. Centeredness is a prerequisite to truly open listening. It sets the stage for the points below. Never rule out any topic of discussion as uninteresting.
Creative people are always on the lookout for new information.
While some conversations may be inane, it's wise to make sure the subject is not worthwhile before tuning out. The point here is to suspend judgment during the immediate experience of listening. Listen for the whole message. Plenty, it turns out. Beyond the words themselves is a host of clues as to what the speaker is communicating.