Listening: Introduction
- Evidence shows that the receiving side ( listening) causes more problems.
- Listening is paying attention to sb or sth that you can hear.
- Hearing is being aware of sounds.
The Nature of Listening/ Process of Listening
a. Sensing
- ( ability to hear + our attentiveness)
- How well we sense the words around us is determined by two factors.
- One factor– our ability to sense sounds ( how well our ears can pick them up), we do not hear equally.
- The other factor— our attentiveness to listening ( our concentration)
- Then we make symbols and recall moments
b. Filtering:
- Filtering is the process of giving symbols, meaning through the unique contents of each person’s mind.
- This is INTERPRETATION. This is based on your knowledge, emotions, beliefs, biases, experiences, expectations.
- That is the reason why you sometimes give messages meanings different from the meanings that others give them.
c. Remembering:
- We remember many of the comments we hear in casual conversations for only a short time– perhaps for only a few minutes or hours.
- According to authorities, we even quickly forget most of the message in formal oral communications( such as speeches, remembering only a fourth after two days.
Barriers of Effective Listening
- Distractions
- Noisy Environment
- Mindset
- Interpretation
- Physical State
How to Improve Listening
- Stop talking
- Put the talker at ease
- Show the talker you want to listen
- Remove distractions ( don’t tap with your pencil, shuffle papers)
- Empathize with the talker ( put yourself in the place of talker)
- Be patient ( do not interrupt)
- Hold your temper ( anger impedes communication)
- Go easy on argument and criticism ( you lose if you win , too)
- Ask questions : Asking questions may show that you are interested in listening to him or her.
- Stop talking:
- Put the talker at ease
The last commandment is to stop talking. It was also the first. All the other commandments depend on it.
Other Techniques to Improve Listening
- Be alert; force yourself to pay attention.
- Concentrate on improving your mental filtering.
- Think from the speaker’s viewpoint.
- Consciously try to remember.
