Listening Skills

Hearing vs. Listening

“Was I paying
attention?”
Hearing vs. Listening
 Hearing is not the same
as listening!
 Hearing is passive and
occurs even while we
sleep.
 Listening is active and
involves hearing, paying
attention and
understanding.
 What is Active Listening?
 Active listening is a
structured form of
listening and
responding that focuses
the attention on the
speaker. Active listening
motivates and
encourages both the
speaker and listener.
 Why Listening Is Important
 Listening shows the speaker
respect and that you are paying
close attention to what they are
saying.
 Listening encourages open and
healthy communication.
 Although hearing is a natural
process, listening is not.
Learning effective listening skills
is crucial in order to get the most
out of each message.
Listening Barriers

 Pre-existing negative attitudes

 Distracting thoughts or environments
 Jumping to conclusions or completing the speaker’s
thoughts
 Engaging in selective listening and listening only to what
you want to hear
 Feeling too tired, anxious, or angry to pay attention
 Being in a hurry and rushing through the conversation
 Overlooking body language, tone of voice, and facial
expressions
Tips for Overcoming Barriers
 Be open to the information that is
being communicated regardless
of any pre-existing feelings or
opinions.
 Give the speaker your full
attention and don’t become
distracted by the environment or
your own thoughts.
 Demonstrate a genuine desire to
pay attention to the other person.
Don’t just think about what you
are going to say next!
Tips for Overcoming Barriers

 Listen completely to what the

speaker has to say. Wait until the
speaker is done talking before
you respond.
 Pay attention to the emotion,
tone and physical cues of the
speaker.
 Ensure you understand the
message clearly by asking
questions, providing feedback or
restating the message.
 HURIER Model for Listening
 The HURIER model details 6 sequential steps for
effective listening and can be used to improve
your overall listening and communication skills.
• Hearing
• Understanding
• Remembering
• Interpreting
• Evaluating
• Responding
HURIER Model: Hearing
 Where listening begins with the physical
process of perceiving sound.
 Remember, active listening involves
taking hearing to the next step!
HURIER Model: Understanding
 Understanding what is being said.
 Ask questions to clarify anything you
have trouble understanding.
HURIER Model: Remembering
 Remembering and storing information for
future retrieval.
HURIER Model: Interpreting
 Interpreting the message, including body
language, tone of voice, facial expressions and
emotions.
HURIER Model: Evaluating
 Evaluating and separating facts from
fiction. How much of what was said is
accurate?
Responding
 Responding or providing feedback to the
speaker.
Summary
 Listening helps eliminate
communication issues and
listening must be intentional.
 Communicating effectively
and efficiently increases
healthy conversation and
decreases misunderstandings
or conflicts in the workplace.
TRUE or FALSE???
 Listening is not my problem!
 Listening and hearing are the same
 Good readers are good listeners
 Smarter people are better listeners
 Listening improves with age
 Listening skills are difficult to learn
Barriers to Active Listening
 Environmental barriers
 Physiological barriers

 Psychological barriers
 Selective Listening
 Negative Listening Attitudes

 Poor Motivation
How to Be an Effective
Listener
 What You Do about Listening ?
Establish eye contact with the
speaker
Take notes effectively
Be a physically involved listener
Avoid negative mannerisms
Exercise your listening muscles
Follow the Golden Rule