Assessment does not have to happen real-time. The intent is to reflect on interactions at a later point to determine if one is actively listening. In fact e

Assessment does not have to happen real-time. The intent is to reflect on interactions at a later point to determine if one is actively listening. In fact easily coming up with follow up questions that already come to one's mind while listening is a strong indicator for an engaging conversation. I completely agree that formulating follow-up questions are a key indicator of active listening. The key point with the metric I presented is when that formulation transpires. If it is while another is speaking, then the listener is not engaged in listening due to considering their own response instead. IMHO, it's natural to make a "mental note" regarding a thought/topic while another is speaking and then present a considered response/question subsequently.