ART OF LISTENING
LISTENING
“Nature gave humans two ears but only
one tongue, which is a gentle hint that they
should listen more than they talk.”
Robert Frost says: “Half the world is
composed of people who have something
to say and cant, and the other half who
have nothing to say and keep on saying
it”.
LISTENING
It is the ability to understand and respond
effectively to oral communication.
The basic principle of effective listening is
that unless the listener pays attention, has
concentration, and is seriously concerned
with the subject, he cannot understand the
message of the speech.
Listening is a conscious, positive act
requiring will power.
Active listening is “to listen to a person
without passing judgment on what is being
said, and to mirror back what has been
said to indicate that you understood what
feelings the speaker was putting across.”
HEARING vs. LISTENING
Hearing is picking up sound vibrations,
whereas listening is making a sense or
meaning out of what people hear.
Hearing is a physical process, and
listening a mental one.
Hearing is passive, listening is active.
Hearing is with the mind, and listening is
with ears.
NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF
LISTENING:
Listening is an art, a fine art. A patient and
attentive listening is a compliment to the
speaker.
is the kingpin in the entire communication
process, to whom actually the message is
meant to understand, interpret correctly
and to act accordingly.
Effective and true communication is
greatly dependent on the receptive side.
Clear listening is necessary when
information is transmitted. Poor listening
may lead to gaps, conflicts and
resentment.
It requires patience, presence of mind,
interest and attitude.
Listening is not a trait, but a skill, which
can be taught, trained and improved.
Reasons for poor listening:
Lack of clarity
Jargon
Lack of unity
Speed
Distractions
COMMON FAULTS OF
LISTENING:
Prejudice against the speaker
Rehearsing
Judging negatively
Identifying
Advising
Sparring or Rebuttal instinct
Being right
Derailing
Placate
Dreaming or Wandering mind
Thinking speed
Premature evaluation
Semantic stereotypes
Delivery
External distractions
BARRIERS IN LISTENING:
Distractions of mind
Lack of motivation
Jumbled and mumbled words
Listening only for words
Taking notes
False listening or Pseudo Listening
Monologue attitude
Selective listening
Listening defensively
Deaf spots or emotional blocks
Closed mindedness
Lack of interest
BAD LISTENING HABITS:
Calling the subject uninteresting
Tuning the speaker out because of his
delivery
Getting over stimulated
Faking attentiveness
Allowing distractions to creep in
Tuning out difficult or technical
presentations
BEHAVIOURAL REASONS:
Listening attitudes in early life
Influence of parental models
Powerless and submissive behavior
Defense mechanism
Practice of resistance
ERRORS IMPEDING
UNDERSTANDING:
Length of message
Middle of the message
Round off
Hearing what one expects to hear
Filtered listening
WHO IS A GOOD LISTENER?
Looks at the speaker while he is speaking
Seeks clarifications by asking questions
Repeats some of the things
Does not rush
Has poise and is emotionally controlled
Reacts with a nod, a frown or a smile
Does not interrupt
Pays close attention
PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD
LISTENING:
Listen patiently
Understanding speaker’s feeling
Restatement and summary
Avoid expressing views
Less explanation
Rapport
GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE
LISTENING:
Eye contact
Bodily exhibitions
Avoid distracting actions or gestures
Ask questions
Paraphrase
Avoid interpreting speaker
Do not overtake
Put the speaker at ease
Listen patiently
Avoid premature arguments
Stay objective
Avoid mental rebuttals
Remove distractions
Indicate acceptance
Hold your temper
Respect pauses or silence
Be honest with answer
Listen between the lines
Have an open mind
Listen to total meaning
Observe non verbal cues
Avoid fake attention
No personal bias
TYPES OF LISTENING:
Marginal listening- listener has capacity to
listen four times faster than someone can
talk. So they use the extra time available
to think about other matters.
Evaluative listening- while listening to a
message, they spare time and think to
judge and evaluate what is said by
speaker, and sometimes forms rebuttals to
it.
Projective listening- it is a process to
observe and understand what is said and
to assimilate the viewpoint of the speaker.
Active listening- also called emphatic
listening. It consists of without passing
judgment and to mirror back on what is
being said.
Passive listening
Deliberate listening- when it is intended to
comprehend the content of the message
and to understand the feeling and context
in which the communication is taking
place.
Fake listening- fixing their eyes on the
speaker and try to project themselves as
good listeners. They usually miss
important points.
LISTENING PROCESS
Awareness: it involves getting the
attention of the audience so that they will
listen. Listeners should:
1. Look for area of interest
2. Look for benefits, a need fulfillment or an
objective
3. Look for new ideas
4. Note non verbal cues
Reception: it is physical hearing with
attention that precedes listening. Sound
waves receive the attention of the listener
for interpretation and perception.
To be receptive:
1. Concentrate on ideas
2. Non verbal cues
3. Avoid mind wandering
4. Adjusting listening pace
Perception: is the perceiving and
understanding of the message. Depends
upon factors like knowledge, age, emotion,
experience, attitude, values, etc.
The act of perception depends upon
interpretation – the process of attribution
of meanings which requires logical
reasoning and analysis of data.
TYPES OF LISTENERS:
The Sleeper:
(a) has no intention of listening
(b) Is irritated if there are disturbances
(c) Eyes are closed as he sits, or reclines in
his seat.
(d) Seeks a restful haven in a relatively
corner place.
Eager Beaver:
(a) keeps smiling and nodding
(b) Eyes have a strange, out of focus
appearance
(c) Energies are directed to impress the
speaker with what a good listener he or
she is.
The Tiger:
(a) Is ready to pounce on everything what
speaker says
(b) Is occupied with looking for trouble
(c) Has a crouching position, leaning
forward and eyes flashing
The Shy, Bewildered:
(a) Has never quite found out what the
lecture is all about
(b) Pained, quizzical glances from him are a
constant reminder to the speaker that he
has to go slowly, repeating and
reinforcing information.
The Frowner:
(a) His forehead has a perpetual furrow
(b) He seems to be always on the verge of a
question
(c) His expression is an accurate reflection
of his state of mind
The Relaxed:
(a) Stares fixedly at some object or person
(b) There is little tension in them
(c) There are no visible means of reading
them
(d) Never seems to react to anything
(e) Is a real problem for the speaker
The Busy bee:
(a) Listens and impresses by writing notes,
talking to neighbors, combing hair, etc.
(b) Not a listener in a true sense, but is a
potential audience
(c) Will motivate the speaker causing him to
try various devices to capture their
attention
Two eared listener:
(a) Listens with ears and mind
(b) Actively participates
(c) Reacts objectively
(d) Decodes and evaluates carefully
(e) Eagerness is reflected in body posture
(f) Face reflects agreement, disagreement,
interest, question, approval resulting from
thoughtful, objective consideration of
messages.
