LISTENING SKILLS

A. Defining Listening 1. Hearing vs. listening - Hearing is a physical process in which sound waves enter the ear, but listening is a skill. We only remember 25% of what we hear. 2. Definition – a complex process that involves being mindful, physically receiving messages, perceiving, responding and remembering

A. Defining Listening 3. Rate Gap We speak words per minute but can listen 6 times that fast.

B. Barriers to Listening

1.Message Overload – too much information 2. Message Complexity – too complicated or technical 3. Environmental Distraction – basically external interference

B. Barriers to Listening 4. Preoccupation – internal interference 5. Lack of Effort - you simply quit trying

C. Types of Listening

1.Appreciative – listening for enjoyment, like music or soothing sounds 2. Discriminative – listening for a specific sound 3. Empathic – listening to people talk about problems

C. Types of Listening 4. Critical – listening to comprehend ideas and information in order to achieve a specific goal 5. Deliberative – listening to understand, analyze and evaluate a message in order to make a decision

D. Forms of Non-listening

1.Pseudolistening – pretending to listen 2. Monopolizing – interrupting or shifting the conversation to yourself 3. Selective Listening – screening out things we’re not interested in or with which disagree

D. Forms of Non-listening 4. Defensive Listening – assuming the other person doesn’t like you and taking everything the wrong way 5. Ambushing – listening to attack the speaker

E. Improving Listening 1.Pay attention 2. Ask questions to clarify 3. Paraphrase the message – repeat in your own words to check accuracy 4. Write it down 5. Use aids to recall