Copyright 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.

Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

ing more than “We are close friends.” But suppose ; Effective listeners are engaged and constantly
Ganesh is a member of a committee that subse- learning—gaining knowledge and skills that lead to
quently denies a promotion for Jacob. Afterward, increased creativity, job performance, advancement,
the same act could mean “We are still friends,” but it and satisfaction.
could also cause resentment. Because of the circum- ; Job satisfaction increases when people know what
stances, the same act could now mean something is going on, when they are heard, and when they
such as “Watch the hand that pats; it can also stab.” participate in the mutual trust that develops from
• Nonverbal messages can be beneficial or harm- good communication.
ful. Words or actions can be accompanied by nonver- Listening depends on your abilities to receive and
bal messages that help or hurt the sender’s purpose.
decode both verbal and nonverbal messages. The best-
Metacommunications and kinesic communications
devised messages and sophisticated communication
can convey something such as “I am efficient in my
business and considerate of others,” or they can con-
systems will not work unless people on the receiving
vey the opposite. They cannot be eliminated, but you end of spoken messages actually listen. Senders of spo-
can make them work for you instead of against you. ken messages must assume their receivers can and will
listen, just as senders of written messages must assume
their receivers can and will read.

Listening as a Listening for a Specific Purpose

Communication Skill Individuals satisfy a variety of purposes through listen-
ing: (1) interacting socially, (2) receiving information,
(3) solving problems, and (4) sharing feelings with oth-

D
espite the fact that many professionals
believe incorrectly that business com- ers. Each activity may call for a different style of listen-
munication is about presentation and ing or for a combination of styles.
not interaction, most managers spend • Casual listening. Listening for pleasure, recreation,
a major part of their day listening and amusement, and relaxation is casual listening. Some
speaking with others. Listening to people listen to music all day long to relax the brain
supervisors, employees, and mask unwanted sounds during daily routines,
O BJ E C T I VE 3 work periods, and daily commutes. Aspects of casual
customers, and col-
listening are as follows:
Identify aspects of leagues commonly con-
effective listening. sumes more of business { It provides relaxing breaks from more serious
tasks and supports our emotional health.
employees’ time than
reading, writing, and { It illustrates that people are selective listeners.
sp
speaking combined. Listening is an interpersonal skill You listen to what you want to hear. In a crowded
room in which everyone seems to be talking, you
aas critical as the skill of speaking. CEO Brad Anderson
can block out all the noise and engage in the con-
oof Best Buy explains that effective listening is central to
versation you are having with someone.
th
the work culture of his young retail employees who have
{ It doesn’t require much emotional or physical effort.
grown up in a digital age and expect a two-way conver-
gr
sa
sation in a peer-to-peer fashion rather than a one-way • Listening for information. Listening for informa-
le
lecture. Anderson emphasizes that being perceived as a tion involves the search for data or material. In a
lecture class, for example, the instructor usually has
ppoor listener would “shut him down as a CEO.”6
a strategy for guiding the class to desired goals. The
Effective listening habits pay off in several ways:
instructor will probably stress several major points
; Good listeners are liked by others because they sat- and use supporting evidence to prove or to reinforce
isfy the basic human needs of being heard and being them. When engaged
wanted. in this type of
; People who listen well are able to separate fact from listening, you could casual listening
fiction, cope effectively with false persuasion, and become so focused on listening for pleasure,
avoid having others use them for personal gain. recording every detail recreation, amusement, and
relaxation
; Effective listening leads to sensitivity and tolerance that you take copious
toward key individuals who are critical to the orga- notes with no organi- listening for
information
nization’s success, such as employees, customers, and zation. When listen- listening that involves the
suppliers. ing for information: search for data or material

Chapter 2: Focusing on Interpersonal and Group Communication 25

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 Copyright 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

{ Use an outlining process to help you capture main • Allowing disruptions. We welcome disruptions of
ideas and supporting subpoints in a logical way. almost any sort when we are engaged in somewhat
{ Watch the speaker as you listen to him or her, difficult listening. The next time someone enters
since most speakers exhibit a set of mannerisms your classroom or meeting room, notice how almost
composed of gestures and vocal inflections to indi- everyone in the room turns away from the speaker
cate the degree of importance or seriousness that and the topic to observe the latecomer.
they attach to portions of their presentations. • Overlistening. When we attempt to record many
• Intensive listening. When you listen to obtain infor- details in writing or in memory we can overlisten and
mation, solve problems, or persuade or dissuade (as miss the speaker’s major points.
in arguments), you are engaged in intensive listen- • Stereotyping. We make spontaneous judgments
ing. Intensive listening involves greater use of your about others based on their appearances, manner-
analytical ability to proceed through problem-solving isms, dress, speech delivery, etc. If a speaker doesn’t
steps. When listening intensively: meet our standards in these areas, we simply turn
{ Become a good summarizer. off our listening and assume the speaker can’t have
{ Trace the development of the discussion and then much to say.
move from there to your own analysis. • Dismissing subjects as uninteresting. People tend
• Empathetic listening. Empathy occurs when a to use disinterest as a rationale for not listening.
person attempts to share another’s feelings or emo- Unfortunately, the decision is usually made before the
tions. Counselors attempt to use empathetic listen- topic is ever introduced. A good way to lose an instruc-
ing in dealing with their clients, and good friends tor’s respect when you have to miss class is to ask, “Are
listen empathetically to each other. Empathy is a we going to do anything important in class today?”
valuable trait developed by people skilled in inter- • Failing to observe nonverbal aids. To listen effec-
personal relations. When you take the time to listen tively, you must observe the speaker. Facial expres-
to another, the courtesy is usually returned. When sions and body motions always accompany speech
listening empathetically: and contribute much to messages.
{ Avoid preoccupation with your own problems. Many bad listening habits develop simply because
Talking too much and giving strong nonverbal the speed of spoken messages is far slower than our abil-
signals of disinterest destroy others’ desire to talk. ity to receive and process them. Normal speaking speeds
{ Remember that total empathy can never be achieved
simply because no two people are exactly alike. The
more similar our experiences, however, the better the Overlistening
Allowing disruptions
opportunity to put ourselves in the other person’s
shoes. Listening with empathy involves some genu-
ine tact along with other good listening habits.
You might have to combine listening intensively and Faking attention
listening for feelings in some situations. Performance
appraisal interviews, disciplinary conferences, and other
© Image Source

sensitive discussions between supervisors and employees

require listening intensively for accurate understanding
of the message and listening empathetically for feelings,
preconceived points of view, and background.

Bad Listening Habits

Most of us have developed bad listening habits in one
or more of the following areas:
• Faking attention. Have
intensive listening you ever been introduced
listening to obtain to someone only to realize
information, solve problems, 30 seconds later that you
or persuade or dissuade
missed the name? We can
empathetic listening
listening to others in an
look directly at a person,
attempt to share their nod, smile, and pretend to
feelings or emotions be listening.

26 Part 1: Communication Foundations

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 Copyright 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

are between 100 and 150 words a minute. The human Increasing Focus on Groups
ear can actually distinguish words in speech in excess of Developments among U.S. businesses in recent years
500 words a minute, and many people read at speeds have shifted attention away from the employment of
well beyond 500 words a minute. Finally, our minds traditional organizational subunits as the only mecha-
process thoughts at thousands of words a minute. nisms for achieving organizational goals and toward
Because individuals can’t speak fast enough to the increased use of groups.
challenge our ability to listen, listeners have a respon-
• Flat organizational structures. Many businesses
sibility to make spoken communication effective. Good
today are downsizing and eliminating layers of
listening typically requires considerable mental and management. Companies implementing Total Quality
emotional effort. Management programs are reorganizing to dis-
tribute the decision-making power throughout the
organization. The trend is to eliminate functional or
Group Communication departmental boundaries. Instead, work is reorga-
nized in cross-disciplinary teams that perform broad
core processes (e.g., product development and sales

A
lthough much of your spoken commu-
nication in business will occur in one- generation) and not narrow tasks (e.g., forecasting
to-one relationships, another frequent market demand for a particular product).
In a flat organizational structure, communicating
spoken communication activity will
across the organization chart (among the cross-
likely occur when you participate in
disciplinary teams) becomes more important than
groups, committees, and teams. communicating up and down in a top-heavy hierar-
O BJ E C T I VE 4 chy. An individual can take on an expanded role as
important tasks are assumed. This role can involve
Identify factors affecting power and authority that surpasses the individual’s
group and team status, or formal position in the organizational
communication. chart. Much of the communication involves face-to-
face meetings with team members rather than numer-
ous, time-consuming “handoffs” as the product
moves methodically from one department to another.
Dismissing The time needed to design a new card at
subject as
Hallmark Cards decreased significantly when the
uninteresting
company adopted a flat organizational structure.
Failing to use Team members representing the former functional
nonverbal aids areas (graphic artists, writers, marketers, and oth-
ers) now work in a central area, communicating
openly and frequently, solving problems and making
decisions about the entire process as a card is being
developed. For example, a writer struggling with a
verse for a new card can solicit immediate input from
the graphic artist working on the team rather than
finalizing the verse and then “handing it off” to the
art department.7
• Heightened Focus on Cooperation. Competition
has been a characteristic way of life in U.S. com-
panies. Organizations and individuals compete for
a greater share of
scarce resources, for
a limited number of role
positions at the top of tasks employees assume
organizations, and for that can involve power and
esteem in their profes- authority that surpasses
their formal position on the
sions. Such competi- organization chart
tion is a healthy sign status
of the human desire one’s formal position in the
to succeed, and, in organizational chart

Chapter 2: Focusing on Interpersonal and Group Communication 27

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 Copyright 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

Suggestions for Effective Listening

You can enhance the effectiveness of your face-to-face listening by following these
suggestions:

• Minimize environmental and mental distractions.

Take time to listen. Move to a quiet area where you are
not distracted by noise or other conversation. Avoid
becoming so preoccupied with what you will say next
that you fail to listen.

• Get in touch with the speaker. Maintain an open mind

while attempting to understand the speaker’s background,
prejudices, and points of view. Listen for emotionally
charged words and watch for body language, gestures,
facial expressions, and eye movements as clues to the
speaker’s underlying feelings.

• Use your knowledge of speakers to your advantage.

Some people seem to run on and on with details before
making the point. With this speaker, you must anticipate
the major point but not pay much attention to details. Other
speakers give conclusions first and perhaps omit support for
them. In this case, you must ask questions to obtain further
information.

• Let the speaker know you are actively involved. Show

genuine interest by remaining physically and mentally involved;
for example, avoid daydreaming, yawning, frequently breaking
eye contact, looking at your cell phone or papers on your desk,
whispering, etc.

• Do not interrupt the speaker. Try to understand the speaker’s

full meaning, and wait patiently for an indication that you should
enter the conversation.

• Ask reflective questions that assess understanding. Simply

restate in your own words what you think the other person has said.
This paraphrasing will reinforce what you have heard and allow the
speaker to correct any misunderstanding or add clarification.

• Use probing prompts to direct the speaker. Use probing

statements or questions to help the speaker define the issue more
concretely and specifically.
© Nicole Hill/Rubberball/Jupiterimages

• Use lag time wisely. Listening carefully should be your primary focus;
however, you can think ahead at times as well. Making written or mental
notes allows you to provide useful feedback when the opportunity arises.
If you cannot take notes during the conversation, record important points
as soon as possible so you can summarize the speaker’s key points.

28 Part 1: Communication Foundations

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