You probably listen less than you think. Most people are just loading their next line.

Listening is a rarer activity than it looks. Much of what passes for it is a holding pattern, where you follow their sentence just closely enough to find the gap your own contribution fits into. It feels attentive from inside and reads as absence from outside. The other person can usually tell within a minute.

Let three seconds pass after someone stops speaking before you say anything. Ask one follow-up question before offering your version. Notice how much more people say once they are sure you are not waiting.