Active listening is more goal-oriented than casual listening.  When listening actively, you have a definite purpose in mind.  The four types of active listening are described below:

• Informative Listening is used when you wish to hear, understand, and remember the information being presented. For example, when you listen to a manager or co-worker give instructions for completing a task, you are using informative listening.
• Evaluating Listening is used to hear, understand, and judge what is being said. You may evaluate whether the information is useful, accurate or interesting.  For example, suppose you listen to a sales person describe a product.  As you list, you will evaluate the message to decide whether you accept or reject it.
• Emphatic Listening is used to hear, understand, and offer feedback that shows you have understood the message. Understanding the message does not necessarily mean that you agree with the speaker.  The feedback you offer indicates only that you understand the message.  Customer service associates often use emphatic listening to let a caller know that his or her complaint is understood.
• Reflective Listening is used to hear, understand, and offer feedback that helps the speaker think about her or his feelings or objectives. The feedback should not be judgemental; rather it should prompt the speaker to think or question further.  Prompts, open-ended questions, and restatement of what the speaker has said are useful in giving feedback with reflective listening.  Suppose a co-worker says to you, “I am at a loss about how to tackle this project.” A response that shows reflective listening might be, “So you’re not sure where to begin.  Tell me more.  What’s your understanding of the goals of the project?”  This feedback reflects what the speaker has said and prompts the speaker to think further about the project and his or her objectives.