improve listening skills

I do not feel there are any skills to listening. If you are interested in something, you naturally listen, without even the least effort. Many of us are poor listeners because we are not interested in the matter we listen to. Listening is not just limited to the other human beings. Listening expands everywhere. We should attentively listen to the chirping of the birds, the sound of the waves of the sea, the soft rustling of the trees when there is a powerful breeze etc…

Maybe listen to more people who talk fast... but I don't think it's that much of a bad thing. You could always ask them to repeat, and I guess the sensible people would understand your problem, and repeat.

If are talking about a new language that you want to learn then you should watch Tv and listen to radio in that language. You will eventually understand the way they pronounce some words.