Introduction of Listening | Process of Listening | Barriers and Ways to Improve Effective Listening

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:

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.