Listening

Skills

1
 Importance of Listening Skills
In daily communication we spend
ourtime as follows:
• Writing 9 percent
• Reading 16 percent
• Speaking 30 percent
• Listening 45 percent
2
 Problems with Ineffective
Listening
Poor listeners are perceived
as less intelligent.
In some careers, life and death
situations are determined by
an employee’s listening skills.
Ineffective listening costs
the company
3
 Hearing
Hearing occurs when
your ears pick up sound
waves being transmitted
by a speaker.
Hearing is an
INACTIVE,
INVOLUNTARY process. 4
 Listening
Listening involves
recognizing, understanding
and accurately
interpreting messages
received.
Listening is an ACTIVE,
VOLUNTARY process
which requires ENERGY.5
 BARRIERS
 Physiological
 Hearing Impairment
 Speaking-Thinking rate
 Environment
 Physical
 Message Overload
 Attitudinal
 Prejudices
 Pre occupation
 Casual
attitude
 Egocentrism
6
 Goal Setting for Interactive
Listening
 Identify Objectives
 What must I get out of this message?
 What would I like to get out of this situation?
 What should others get out of my listening to
them?
 Listening Style
 Four types of listening: information, enjoyment,
evaluation, and feelings
 Listening Approach
 Four approaches to listening: Discriminative,
Comprehensive, Critical, Active 7
 Communication Competence:
Interactive Listening
 Interactive listening is an ongoing,
complex, and dynamic process.
 Guidelines to becoming an interactive
listener:
 Motivation & Preparedness
 Objective
 Talk less
 Ask questions
 Use nonverbal behavior
 Avoid boredom
8
 Dismantle The Three D’s
 Distraction
 Focus on the speaker
 Take notes to stay on track
 Disorientation
 Simply information to its basic level
 Focus on main points
 Defensiveness
 Understand that its not about “you”
 Ask objective questions to self about content
9
 Improve Listening Skills
Challenge: Suggestion:

Calling the subject Shift for practical

uninteresting information

Criticizing the Concentrate on the

speaker’s delivery Message

Disagreeing with the Hear the person out

message before judging

10
Improve Listening Skills (cont’d)
Challenge: Suggestion:

Listening only for Listen for main

facts ideas

Trying to outline a Be flexible in note

disorganized talk taking

11
 Tips For Speaker

Empathize
Adjust with
delivery
Use Feedback
Clarity
Be Interesting 12