Don't just listen — actively listen

Simply hearing words doesn't cut it. Likable people show that they're listening to the person they're talking to.

Active listening requires four steps, writes Quora user Chiasson: hearing, interpreting, evaluating, and responding.

Step one requires dropping what you're doing and paying attention. Next, "paraphrase what you've heard and ask clarifying questions," she suggests. Evaluating means steering clear of quick judgment and jumping to conclusions: "Make sure you have all the pertinent information before forming or expressing an opinion." Finally, "give feedback to let the speaker know that you heard them," she writes.