Professional training in London and 13 international cities info@llmi.uk

Professional training course · CWS-027

Active Listening and Questioning Skills

Most people believe they are good listeners, yet misunderstandings, missed details and frustrated colleagues and customers suggest otherwise. True listening means…

  • 5 daysClassroom
  • 49Upcoming dates
  • 12Cities
  • £2,840Fees from

Course overview

Introduction

Most people believe they are good listeners, yet misunderstandings, missed details and frustrated colleagues and customers suggest otherwise. True listening means understanding not only the words but also the meaning, feelings and needs behind them. Combined with skilful questioning, it is the foundation of trust, influence, problem solving and effective leadership.

This Active Listening and Questioning Skills training course develops participants' ability to listen with full attention and ask questions that uncover information, clarify thinking and build rapport. Participants learn about barriers to listening, levels of listening, non-verbal communication, reflecting and summarising, and how to use different question types for different purposes.

Extensive practice in pairs and small groups allows participants to experience the difference that skilled listening makes and to build lasting habits.

Course Objectives

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

  • Explain the value of active listening in professional relationships
  • Recognise personal barriers and habits that block listening
  • Apply different levels of listening appropriately
  • Read and use non-verbal signals effectively
  • Use paraphrasing, reflecting and summarising to confirm understanding
  • Choose question types suited to different purposes
  • Ask probing questions that uncover needs and root issues
  • Listen effectively in difficult and emotional conversations

Target Audience

This training course is suitable for a wide range of professionals, including:

  • Managers and team leaders
  • Customer service and sales professionals
  • HR and employee relations staff
  • Coaches and mentors
  • Consultants and project managers
  • Anyone seeking stronger interpersonal communication

Training Methodology

The course is experiential, with most time spent practising. Participants work in pairs and trios on listening exercises, observed conversations and questioning drills, giving and receiving feedback. Short inputs introduce models and techniques, and reflection activities help participants identify their own habits.

Target Competencies

  • Attentive listening
  • Non-verbal awareness
  • Reflective listening
  • Effective questioning
  • Empathy
  • Clarifying understanding

Course outline

  1. 1Day One: The Power of Listening
    • Why listening is the most underused communication skill
    • The costs of poor listening at work
    • Hearing compared with listening and understanding
    • Common barriers: distraction, assumptions and judgement
    • Personal listening habits and self-assessment
    • Creating the conditions for good listening
    • Exercise: experiencing poor and good listening
  2. 2Day Two: Levels and Techniques of Listening
    • Levels of listening from internal to global
    • Giving full attention and managing inner dialogue
    • Encouraging the speaker with minimal prompts
    • Paraphrasing to check understanding of content
    • Reflecting feelings to show empathy
    • Summarising to clarify and move conversations forward
    • Practice: listening triads with observer feedback
  3. 3Day Three: Non-Verbal Communication
    • The role of body language, voice and silence
    • Reading non-verbal signals without over-interpreting
    • Using posture, eye contact and gestures to show attention
    • Cultural differences in non-verbal communication
    • Listening effectively on the telephone and video calls
    • Noticing mismatches between words and signals
    • Exercise: observing non-verbal communication
  4. 4Day Four: The Art of Questioning
    • Open, closed, probing and clarifying questions
    • Funnel questioning to move from broad to specific
    • Avoiding leading, multiple and loaded questions
    • Questions that uncover needs, motives and concerns
    • Coaching questions that encourage reflection
    • Using silence after asking a question
    • Practice: questioning drills and role plays
  5. 5Day Five: Listening in Challenging Situations
    • Listening to angry or upset colleagues and customers
    • Staying calm and non-defensive under criticism
    • Listening across disagreement and conflict
    • Listening as a manager in performance conversations
    • Building trust through consistent listening
    • Final practice: an extended challenging conversation
    • Personal action plan for listening and questioning

Schedule

Dates and fees

49 upcoming dates in 12 cities. Fees are per delegate; bring colleagues and every seat is discounted.

All dates as PDF
December 2026
7DEC 7 - 11 Dec 2026Mon to Fri · 5 daysNext session
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
14DEC 14 - 18 Dec 2026Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
21DEC 21 - 25 Dec 2026Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
January 2027
4JAN 4 - 8 Jan 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
11JAN 11 - 15 Jan 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
18JAN 18 - 22 Jan 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
25JAN 25 - 29 Jan 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
France flag ParisFrance · Classroom
£4,500per delegate2+ people: £3,600 each
February 2027
1FEB 1 - 5 Feb 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Italy flag RomeItaly · Classroom
£4,250per delegate2+ people: £3,400 each
8FEB 8 - 12 Feb 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
15FEB 15 - 19 Feb 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
22FEB 22 - 26 Feb 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
March 2027
1MAR 1 - 5 Mar 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
8MAR 8 - 12 Mar 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Austria flag ViennaAustria · Classroom
£4,250per delegate2+ people: £3,400 each
15MAR 15 - 19 Mar 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
22MAR 22 - 26 Mar 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
April 2027
5APR 5 - 9 Apr 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
12APR 12 - 16 Apr 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
19APR 19 - 23 Apr 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Netherlands flag AmsterdamNetherlands · Classroom
£4,250per delegate2+ people: £3,400 each
26APR 26 - 30 Apr 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
May 2027
3MAY 3 - 7 May 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
10MAY 10 - 14 May 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
17MAY 17 - 21 May 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
24MAY 24 - 28 May 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
South Africa flag Cape TownSouth Africa · Classroom
£2,840per delegate2+ people: £2,272 each
June 2027
7JUN 7 - 11 Jun 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
14JUN 14 - 18 Jun 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
21JUN 21 - 25 Jun 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
July 2027
5JUL 5 - 9 Jul 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
12JUL 12 - 16 Jul 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Switzerland flag GenevaSwitzerland · Classroom
£5,250per delegate2+ people: £4,200 each
19JUL 19 - 23 Jul 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
26JUL 26 - 30 Jul 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
August 2027
2AUG 2 - 6 Aug 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
9AUG 9 - 13 Aug 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
16AUG 16 - 20 Aug 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Turkey flag IstanbulTurkey · Classroom
£2,850per delegate2+ people: £2,280 each
23AUG 23 - 27 Aug 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
September 2027
6SEP 6 - 10 Sep 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
13SEP 13 - 17 Sep 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
20SEP 20 - 24 Sep 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
October 2027
4OCT 4 - 8 Oct 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag MadridSpain · Classroom
£4,250per delegate2+ people: £3,400 each
11OCT 11 - 15 Oct 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
18OCT 18 - 22 Oct 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
25OCT 25 - 29 Oct 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
November 2027
1NOV 1 - 5 Nov 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
8NOV 8 - 12 Nov 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag MunichGermany · Classroom
£4,250per delegate2+ people: £3,400 each
15NOV 15 - 19 Nov 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each
22NOV 22 - 26 Nov 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
December 2027
6DEC 6 - 10 Dec 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Spain flag BarcelonaSpain · Classroom
£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each
13DEC 13 - 17 Dec 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
Germany flag FrankfurtGermany · Classroom
£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each
20DEC 20 - 24 Dec 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days
France flag ParisFrance · Classroom
£4,500per delegate2+ people: £3,600 each
27DEC 27 - 31 Dec 2027Mon to Fri · 5 daysOur home city
United Kingdom flag LondonUnited Kingdom · Classroom
£4,200per delegate2+ people: £3,360 each

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Active Listening and Questioning Skills course?

The course runs over 5 days of classroom training, usually Monday to Friday.

When is the next Active Listening and Questioning Skills course?

The next public date is 7 - 11 Dec 2026 in Barcelona. There are 49 upcoming dates in total.

Where is this course held?

Upcoming sessions run in Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Amsterdam, Cape Town, Geneva, Istanbul, Madrid, Munich.

How much does the course cost?

Fees start from £2,840 per delegate, depending on the city. Fees include tuition and course materials.

Do participants receive a certificate?

Yes. Delegates who complete the course receive a London Leadership Management Innovation certificate of completion.

Can this course be delivered in-house for our team?

Yes. LLMI can tailor and deliver this course privately for your organisation at your premises or in one of our training cities.

Course information last updated 14 November 2026.

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