When she said something I was not looking at her half of the time and the same was true for her. If one of us said something sensitive or important then we would make a point to change our posture, body language, and facial expressions, using more eye contact and even stopping to stand still. I used less affirmative vocalizations like "Uh-Huh" than I did with Bob for similar reasons. In public and in a place with so many distractions it was hard to act as attentively as I would have liked to. Based on these two conversations I concluded that my number one non-verbal listening strength is my use of eye contact. Eye contact helps me remain focused on the conversation and less prone to getting distracted. I also try to read the other person with my eyes to understand the emotional content of what they are saying on top of the actual topic of conversation. One non-verbal listening skill that I think is strong but needs improvement is my overall posture and body...

I do lean in to listen and to encourage the other person but I think it would be helpful to pay more attention to how I hold my hands, how much I touch the other person and whether I am fidgeting. Finally, there are few glaring weaknesses in my listening style but I do wonder if I give too many verbal affirmations like "uh-huh." I don't think they are all that necessary and might be distracting for the other person if they think I am trying to rush them.
A enjoyed these activities because they forced me to pay attention to what I am normally unaware of: the way I listen. At the same time I was paying attention to my listening behaviors I was also becoming more aware of how other people listen to me to observe the differences between us. Most importantly, I learned how I can become a better listener, by paying more attention to my gestures and body language and being more conscious of the verbalizations I use when listening to another person.