 Hearing is a passive physical act that requires no effort  Listening is the act of hearing while also retaining and comprehending the information You can hear but it doesn’t mean you’re listening!

When there is construction happening around you, do you hear the noise or listen to the noise?

Do you listen to music or do you hear the music? What about when you’re studying?

The ability to listen carefully will allow you to:  answer questions  understand assignments  work better in a team  solve problems with customers, co-workers, and bosses  understand what other people are saying (or not saying)

When people don’t feel listened to, they will assume that:  You don’t care.  You don’t like them.  They aren’t valued.  What they have to say isn’t important.

Physical Barriers Distractions in the environment Example? Attitudinal Barriers Distracted with work problems Believing that you are more knowledgeable than the speaker and that you have nothing new to learn from his ideas

Gender Barriers Men and women listen differently Women like to listen for the emotions behind a speaker’s words. Men listen more for the facts and the content. Cultural Barriers Words pronounced differently because of culture. Different accents also happen within a culture. Easterners and Westerners listen differently Easterners focus on listening. Silence is a sign of respect. Westerners focus more on speaking

 Face the speaker  Don’t interrupt  Ask questions but wait for pauses  Pay attention  Give feedback  Pay attention to what is not said.

A good listener knows that paying attention to what the speaker doesn't say is as important as paying attention to what he does say. Look for non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and posture.

 Known as kinesics  is an important aspect of modern communications and relationships.

Nervous Confident

Nervous Confident

 Body language reveals two things:  Your own body language reveals your feelings and meanings to others.  Other people's body language reveals their feelings and meanings to you.

 Body language is important when we meet someone for the first time.  Body language helps to create first impressions.  When we meet someone for the first time, body language largely determines our first impression of them.  This can happen whether you realize it or not

 how we position our bodies  our closeness to and the space between us and other people (proxemics), and how this changes  our facial expressions

 how our eyes move and focus  how our bodies connect with other non- bodily things, for instance, pens, cigarettes, spectacles and clothing  our breathing, and other less noticeable physical effects, for example our heartbeat and perspiration

 to determine if a person is paying attention  to see if a person is confident or insecure  to spot if someone is lying

NervousHappyBoredAngry ConfidentInsecureIrritated Lying

 Eyes  The way we stand  Legs and feet  Personal space

 Looking to their right or up and to their right  Using their imagination – watch out for exaggeration of the truth or for complete lies.  Looking down and to their right, or to their left, or up and to their left:  Using their memory – they are being honest and truthful.

 When you stand, keep your back straight  This shows comfort with yourself and ease in the situation.  Slouching, sticking your belly out, stuffing your hands in your pockets, and folding your arms defensively all suggest unease

 The jiggling of the feet is a sign that the person wants to get away from a situation.  Crossed legs show that your closed off or uncertain.  Never ask a person to make a decision if they have their legs or arms crossed.  If a person locks one foot around their calf or thigh they are showing signs of timidness.  If a person sits oddly in a chair they are showing you that they don’t see you as important and they are very dominate.

 Every human has a territory.  Personal Space refers to the nearby area that is around a person.  It depends on how comfortable you are if a stranger is standing right next to you.

 When people are forced into a smaller space, people do other things like:  avoid eye contact  keep silent  It is because of our personal space.  The more a person likes you, the closer he/she will stand next to you

 About 15 to 45 cm  This is the most important zone as it is only reserved for close friends and family  This includes parents, children, family and very best friends  Strangers who enter will cause changes in our body as we will feel threatened.  Perspiring  Moving away

 About 45 cm to 1.2 meters  This is the distance for social gatherings such as parties, friendly interactions

 About 1.2 to 3.5 meters  This is for strangers we have just met and acquaintances  Usually, people in this zone have a reason to speak to each other

 Anything over 3.5 meters  Used to for an audience or large group of people  Not a lot of eye contact

 Being respectful of someone’s personal space is a social skill.  People who do not know how to use appropriate social skills may make things uncomfortable with the people they are talking to.  This may create barriers in communication.  It is important to remember that different cultures have different ideas about personal space.