Improving Listening Skills (Source: Fundamentals of communication strategies, Pearson)

The Process of Listening

The Importance of Listening

Why listening? Build and maintain relationships (di Batista, 1997). Essential skill for business success (Haigh, 2006). Improve workplace relationships and be more productive (Nichols, 2006). Reduce errors and mistakes: e.g. improved listening skills on the part of medical professionals are associated with fewer malpractice claims from patients (Lenckus, 2005)

Types of Listening Active listening (listening with a purpose) Empathic listening (listening to understand) Critical listening (listening to challenge/question and solve problems) Listening for enjoyment (listening to be entertained).

Barriers to Listening Noise Physical Mental Factual Semantic Perception Status Stereotype Sights and Sounds Ourselves Egocentrism Defensiveness Experiential superiority Personal Bias Pseudolistening

How to Improve Listening Skills Listen with a purpose Listen and think critically Use non-verbal communication effectively Use verbal communication effectively Check understanding

Summary Listening Process Importance Types Barriers Strategies to improve listening skills

Take-home Message 1 Purpose 2 Full attention 3 Understanding 4 Feedback 5 Action Listen with a purpose: Have a meaningful goal Listen with full attention: activate all senses Understand the verbal and non-verbal message Give feedback (e.g. questions, paraphrase, summary) – to check and confirm understanding The final goal: Action for improvement

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