Listening Skills

W=9%, R=12%, S=25%, L=54%

Level of Energy Listening Scale listening listening listening to listening Hearing to to analyze and to understand retain evaluate help others

Comprehensive listening Preparing yourself to listen Listening for main ideas and central themes Utilizing the difference between speech speed and thought speed Listening for significant guideposts

Critical Listening Distinguish between what is information and what is judgment ---------Ahmed is enrolled in a speech course ---------Ahmed is not a good speaker

Sympathetic/Empathetic Listening Focus the conversation on the speaker rather than on self Listening for feelings Developing a supportive communication climate Avoiding evaluative feedback Paraphrasing messages and asking appropriate questions

Tips on improving Empathetic Listening Try to withhold judgment Be nondirective Try to put yourself in the role of speaker Let the speaker finish without interruption Listen well so that you can paraphrase Be responsive

Negative Listening Behaviors Positive Listening Behaviors Tunes out dull material Easily distracted Resists difficult material Listen for facts only Faking attention to the speaker Anticipates what will be said Reacts to emotional words Tries to apply one kind of outlining system Criticizes speaker’s mannerism Tends to daydream Finds areas of interest Consciously tunes out distractions Ask questions for clarifications Link up the facts with central theme Focuses Withhold his/her judgment Interprets and translates emotional words Is flexible…use 4-5 different outlining systems Judges the content not the delivery Anticipates, summarizes and mentally paraphrases the material