An officer responds to a complaint from an upset tenant. The most effective active-listening technique is:
Explanation
Active listening — paraphrasing, summarizing, and reflecting feelings — signals that the officer understands the complainant and reduces the emotional charge of the encounter. 'So what you're saying is...' (a) lets the tenant correct misunderstandings while feeling heard. Interrupting (b) and pivoting to policy (d) signal that the officer is not listening and typically escalate the encounter. Pure silence (c) leaves the tenant uncertain whether they have been understood. Active listening is the foundation of de-escalation under BSIS curricula.
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