Listening Notes A skill that affects the quality of our relationships. Most frequent form of communication. To improve upon a skill what is required? Practice!!

Why You Need Good Listening Skills Good listening skills will allow you to: ◦ better understand assignments and what is expected of you; ◦ build rapport with co-workers, bosses, and clients; ◦ show support; ◦ work better in a team-based environment; ◦ resolve problems with customers, co-workers, and bosses; ◦ answer questions; and ◦ find underlying meanings in what others say. Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS)

What is listening? A process of: 1.Concentrating: receiving the message and paying attention to it 2.Interpreting: decode or assigning correct meaning 3.Remembering: in order to give proper feedback Listening requires active participation.

Types of listening (provide examples) Casual ◦ Hearing & understanding… remembering is not important ◦ Passive: little energy or effort ◦ Examples: movies, music, small talk, etc… Active ◦ Hearing, understanding, and remembering ◦ Types:  Informative: to gain info or understand a topic (news, teachers)  Evaluative: Judging worth (jury, political speeches)  Emphatic: understanding other’s point of view (customer complaint)  Reflective: listening in order to repeat and show understanding (counselor)

P ROBLEMS L ISTENERS F ACE & H OW TO O VERCOME 1. Don’t receive the message 2. Don’t understand the message 3. Don’t remember the message 1. Pay attention 2. Listen actively 3. Memory techniques ProblemGoal to Overcome

Problem 1: Don’t receive message Overcome: PAY ATTENTION ◦ Ability to receive the message without being distracted by barriers. Barriers: Match the correct example to the type of barrier. BarrierExample AttitudeThink you already know PrejudiceWorrying or daydreaming AssumptionsDon’t like subject/speaker External distractionsHeadache Physical discomfortDifference of opinion Divided focusNoises

How to Focus Attention 1. Eliminate distractions ◦ Internal & External (when possible) ◦ Make eye contact with speaker 2. Shift from speaker to listener completely ◦ Stop thinking of what you will say next. ◦ Hard due to our self-centered nature 3. Receive the whole message before you react ◦ Don’t make assumptions

Problem #2: Don’t understand message Understanding: the ability to decode a message by correctly assigning meaning Overcome by: ACTIVE listening

3 Steps of Active Listening? 1. Ask questions: ◦ To get info needed to understand ◦ How can a speaker can tell if someone is paying attention by the questions they ask? 2. Determine purpose and main ideas: ◦ If you know the point of the message it is easier to understand. 3. Look for nonverbal cues: ◦ It is easier to understand things when we can see pictures, examples, text, etc…

Problem #3: Forget message Overcome by : using MEMORY TECHNIQUES 1. Repeat information : helps store in the long term memory (can be verbal or written) 2. Use Mnemonics- artificial, but easy to recall format, useful for long lists or sequences. ◦ Example: PEMDAS, Please excuse my dear aunt sally, ROYGBV, songs/poems, etc… 3. Take notes : NOT word for word, especially if material is difficult or unfamiliar. Pick out main points and supporting details.