1. Listening: The Neglected Skill

2. Overview Listening: The Neglected Skill 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. Listening: The Neglected Skill Hearing vs Listening
Physical act of receiving sound
Passive process
No effort
Listening
Selective process
Active process
Takes work

4. Listening: The Neglected Skill 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.
Source: Steil, Barker & Watson

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

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

11. Listening: The Neglected Skill Steps to Better Listening
Be conscious of your listening behavior
Motivate yourself to listen
Prepare to listen
Control your reactions
Work at listening
Listen for ideas
Concentrate on the message

12. How to Help Others Listen to You
Listening: The Neglected Skill 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

13. Summary Listening: The Neglected Skill 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