1. Listening

2. Overview Listening Listening vs Hearing Definition
A five step listening process
What we know about it
Why is listening so difficult
Steps to better listening
How to help someone listen to you

3. Hearing vs Listening Hearing Listening Physical act of receiving sound
Passive process
No effort
Listening
Selective process
Active process
Takes work

4. Definition: Listening
A selective process of:
receiving,
attending to,
understanding,
Evaluating, and
responding to auditory messages
Steil, L. K., Barker, L. L., & Watson, K. W. (1983). Effective listening: Key to your success. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

5. Five Step Listening Process
Receiving – starts with a sound
Attending to – paying attention to the sound
Understanding – assigning meaning
Evaluating – agreeing or disagreeing
Responding – action (verbal or non-verbal)
“I get it!”

6. What We Know About It Listening -- the most used communication skill
Research shows:
Most people spend 70% of their waking time in
some form of communication activity
Of this 70% of communication time:
-- 10% is spent on writing
-- 15% on reading
  -- 30% on talking
  -- 45% on listening

7. What we know about it, cont.
Listening - least developed of all communication skills.
Failure to listen is costly.
Listening - one of the most valuable skills you can develop.
Listening classes/workshops improve listening skills.
Communication process depends on listening.
Not listening is costly: resources, money, demerits, and lives

8. Listening Habits Survey
Scoring: (20-100)
Almost always = 2
Usually = 4
Sometimes = 6
Seldom = 8
Almost never = 10
Baghdad, Iraq: Col Jill Morgenthaler offers Liberty some milk. Three pest control managers climbed the Al Faw Palace ceilings and chipped away at the base of a patio column to rescue the trapped kitten. Retrieved 12 Jul 04 from AF website.
80 or above is exceptional
70 is around average or normal
Below 60 need improvement
Listening Habits Survey by Steil, Barker and Watson

9. Listening-Why So Difficult?
Uninteresting topics
Speaker’s delivery, appearance, or voice
Over stimulation by the
message
Listening for facts
Outlining everything

10. Listening-Why So Difficult? Cont.
Faking attention
Internal and external distractions
Avoiding difficult material
Emotional words
Wasting the speed differential

11. Steps to Better Listening
Pay Attention
Look at the speaker
Put aside distracting thoughts
Don’t mentally prepare a rebuttal
Avoid environmental distractions
“Listen” to the speaker’s body language

12. Steps to Better Listening
Show that You’re Listening
Nod occasionally
Smile & use other facial expressions
Note your posture – make it open and inviting
Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like “yes” and “uh huh”

13. Steps to Better Listening
Provide Feedback
Reflect back by paraphrasing “What I’m hearing is,” and “Sounds like you are saying”
Ask questions to clarify certain points. “What do you mean when you say?” “Is this what you mean?”
Summarize speaker’s comments periodically

14. Steps to Better Listening
Defer Judgment
Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions
Don’t interrupt with counter arguments

15. Steps to Better Listening
Respond Appropriately
Be candid, open and honest
Assert your opinions respectfully
Treat the other person in a way you think he or she would want to be treated

16. How to Help Others Listen to You
Listening Suggestions
How to Help Others Listen to You
Be a good listener yourself
Be interesting to talk to
Use good eye contact
Tell the truth
Use the listener’s name regularly

17. Summary Listening Listening vs Hearing Definition
A five step listening process
What we know about it
Why is listening so difficult
Steps to better listening
How to help someone listen to you