1. Listening
Skills

2. Course Objectives Explain the Components of the Communication Process
Differentiate between Hearing and Listening
Explain the Listening Process
Describe the Types of Listening
Explain the Key Elements of Active Listening
Explain the Methods to Improve Listening
Describe the various Questioning Techniques
Describe the various Listening Styles
Explain the Techniques to Improve Listening Skills
List the Check-list for the Listener
List the Characteristics of Good and Bad Listeners
List the Tips for Effective Listening

3. Introduction
Look at the dialog between George, a project manager and his boss, Steve.
George, I need the status update report urgently on the Maxwell Project. What are you busy with?
I am working on the feasibility report of Honeytech Project.
Ok, and what about the Honeytech Report?
Oh, yes! That’s important too. Delegate the Maxwell project report and finish it by end of today.
Alright, I will do that.
You work on it and finish it as soon as possible.
Steve
George

4. Introduction The Next Day… Steve George
You had asked me to finish the Honeytech Project. I am finishing that. It is nearly done.
George, where’s the Maxwell Status Report?
Yes, but I had also asked you to delegate the Maxwell Report and get it finished by yesterday end of day.
Oh! I am so sorry! I didn’t quite catch that.
I am really sorry. I will get someone onto it immediately.
How can you be so careless, George?
No, it is very urgent. Drop everything you are doing and finish that report. I want it on my desk in flat three hours. I have a meeting with the client and I need that report for reporting the progress to the client.
Ok. Sorry again.
Steve
George

5. Introduction The Next Day…
What do you think happened when Steve was discussing the tasks with George?
You had asked me to finish the Honeytech Project. I am finishing that. It is nearly done.
George, where’s the Maxwell Status Report?
Yes, but I had also asked you to delegate the Maxwell Report and get it finished by yesterday end of day.
Oh! I am so sorry! I didn’t quite catch that.
Was George really listening carefully?
I am really sorry. I will get someone onto it immediately.
How can you be so careless, George?
No, it is very urgent. Drop everything you are doing and finish that report. I want it on my desk in flat three hours. I have a meeting with the client and I need that report for reporting the progress to the client.
How could George have avoided confusion about the reports?
Ok. Sorry again.
Steve
George

6. Introduction The Next Day…
You can see clearly that George wasn’t really listening carefully. George could also have asked questions to confirm his understanding of the allocation of tasks.
The Next Day…
You had asked me to finish the Honeytech Project. I am finishing that. It is nearly done.
George, where’s the Maxwell Status Report?
Yes, but I had also asked you to delegate the Maxwell Report and get it finished by yesterday end of day.
Oh! I am so sorry! I didn’t quite catch that.
Listening skills play an important role, not only in professional life but also in personal life.
I am really sorry. I will get someone onto it immediately.
How can you be so careless, George?
No, it is very urgent. Drop everything you are doing and finish that report. I want it on my desk in flat three hours. I have a meeting with the client and I need that report for reporting the progress to the client.
Ok. Sorry again.
Let us learn about listening skills in detail.
Steve
George

7. Components of the Communication Process
Sender
Receiver
Encoding
Red Rose is beautiful.
Encoding:
The translation of a message that is of thoughts or ideas of the sender into words or symbols that the receiver will understand. 1

8. Barriers of Effective Communication
Semantics:
Different perceptions, meanings that different people attach to the same word
Linguistic Impact on Language: Style, tone, speed
Inaccurate Interpretation: Ignoring or misunderstanding non-verbal signals or implicit messages
Selective Perception: Selecting only certain elements from a message, hearing an expected message

9. Hearing vs. Listening • • Hearing Listening
So, is there any difference between ‘hearing’ and ‘listening’?
Yes, there is.
Hearing •
Hearing is the sense that allows you to perceive sound. It is only a physical act which involves only the reception of sound waves.
On the other hand, listening is a mental process that requires concentrating on sound, deriving meaning from it, and reacting to it.
Listening •
Hence, hearing is simply the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply happens.
Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. Listening leads to learning.

10. Real Life Example – Hearing vs. Listening
Keep the volume of the news channel at a comfortable level so that you can hear the newsreader.
Switch on your TV and tune into any news channel of your choice.
Now, switch your attention on anything else in the room such as the color and pattern of the curtains, the carpet, furniture etc.

11. Key Elements of Active Listening
Pay attention:
Pay your complete attention to the speaker and acknowledge the message.
Look at the speaker directly.
Do not get distracted from listening by environmental factors.
"Listen" to the speaker's body language.
Refrain from side conversations when listening in a group setting.
Pay attention
Pay attention
Show that you are listening
Provide feedback
Defer judgement
Respond Appropriately

12. Purpose of Listening
There are various purposes of listening such as follows: 1
Listening for enjoyment 2
Listening for information 2
Listening for information 3
Critical listening
Requires more concentration;
Expected to retain info. 4
Precision listening 5
Empathic listening
Let us look at each in detail.

13. Tip!
The best way to be sure that you are listening correctly and understanding the same meaning that the speaker wants you to, is by asking questions. Ask questions to reframe what you understood, for further clarifications of doubts, for gathering further information etc.

14. Listen for Keywords
You can clearly understand that in the earlier circumstances, although you listen attentively, you may not be able to listen and understand the speaker.
So, what can you do in such circumstances?
Yes, one possible option is to use the ‘I beg your pardon’. However, how many times can you ask the speaker to repeat himself? It is obvious that after two or three times, the speaker may lose his patience and may even get angry if he has to repeat everything that he speaks.

15. Real Life Example – Keyword Technique
Hazel is speaking on a phone to her boss from a busy railway station. There is a lot of noise all around Hazel and both Hazel and her boss, David are finding it difficult to listen carefully to what the other person is saying. Let us see, how they both use the ‘keyword’ technique to make a meaningful conversation.
Good morning, David!
Good morning, Hazel! So, I gather you are catching the train back to our office in London.
Yes, David. I am catching the morning train and will reach London tomorrow. I will be in office tomorrow by noon.

16. Body Language and Listening
Non-verbal communication also known as "body language” forms the difference between the words people speak and our understanding of what they are saying.
While listening to someone speak, we can understand the actual meaning of the message better if we understand the signs and signals of body language.
An important point to keep in mind is that body language may vary from individual to individual and between different cultures and nationalities.
Body language includes body movements and gestures (legs, arms, hands, head and torso), posture, muscle tension, eye contact, skin coloring (flushed red), even people's breathing rate and perspiration.
Additionally, the tone of voice, the rate of speech and the pitch of the voice all add to the words that are being used.

17. Listening Styles Appreciative Listening Appreciative Listening
Appreciative listeners are among the least critical but are seeking a degree of pleasure in what's being said. These listeners are listening for enjoyment such as at a concert or a play. When you practice appreciative listening, you simply sit back and absorb. They prefer to not have to think too much while listening; they're not interested in too much detail or statistics. Hence, you appreciate what’s happening around you. You do not analyze and do not evaluate.
Empathic Listening
Discerning Listening
Comprehensive Listening
Evaluative Listening

18. Factual information aspect
Listen to Four Aspects of Message
The four aspects of each message that you should listen to in each message are:
Appeal aspect
Factual information aspect
information
Factual
aspect
Self-revelation aspect
Relationship aspect
Appeal
What does the speaker want to achieve?
What is the factual content of the conversation?
Relationship aspect
Self-revelation aspect
What does the other person want you to know about yourself and about your relationship with the other person?
What is this telling you about the other person?

19. Tips for Effective Listening
The following are some tips for effective listening: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Be aware of "tune out" words:
These are words that strike an emotional chord in the listener and interferes with attentive listening (e.g. abortion, nuclear war, communism, homosexuality). Avoid arguing mentally. Listen to understand, not to oppose. 7 8 9 10

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