1. Lecture 3: Effective Communications Training
Effective Listening
Lecture 3: Effective Communications Training

2. Communications Skills which Improve Listening
Self-disclosure – open statements which reveal to others how you feel, what you believe & what you intend or would like to do
Feedback – relating to other how you were affected by what other person said or did
Active Listening – which combines paraphrasing, open questions & feeling reflection

3. Three Types of Effective Active Listening Devices
Paraphrase - Restating what speaker has said in your own words
Open Question - A question that helps speaker explore feelings (rather than forcing a “yes” “no'' or other certain answer)
Feelings Reflection - your perception of speaker's feelings based on words, tone & body language

5. Reasons for Active Listening
Avoid saying the wrong thing
Dissipates strong feelings
Helps other to accept feelings
Generates a feeling of caring
Encourages other to start listening back
Increase confidence in the other
Makes other feel important & recognized

6. Roadblocks to Active Listening
Warning
Judging
Labeling
Threatening
Demanding
Giving solutions
Criticizing
Name-calling
Directing
Lecturing
Ordering
Preaching
Ridiculing
Blaming
Scolding
Analyzing

8. Helpful Listening Tips 1
Listen to how something is said
Be alert for what is left unsaid
You can't hear if YOU do all the talking - Don't talk too much
Listen with empathy - See the situation from speaker’s point of view -Try to put yourself in speaker’s shoes
Do not prepare what you are going to say in response while the other person is speaking

9. Helpful Listening Tips 2
Be courteous-don't interrupt
Take notes if you worry about forgetting a particular point
Avoid stereotyping individuals by making assumptions about what you expect them to say - avoid your biases when you listen
Listen carefully so that you will be able to understand, comprehend & evaluate what is said
Use conscious effort - try to be aware of verbal & nonverbal messages

11. Physical Set up for Effective Listening
Pick a quiet location
Ask not to be disturbed
Put the telephone on voic
Remove distractions
Create a comfortable atmosphere e.g. lighting, temperature, etc.

12. Mental Set up for Effective Listening
Don’t prejudge
Clear mind of other things
Don’t formulate response while speaker is talking
Listen for both content & context
If not mentally ready to listen - reschedule conversation if possible

14. What is Feedback
Only real means to check out whether message sent (expression) by speaker is the correct one received in mind of listener (impression)
Allows for listener’s decoding process to be clarified so as to weed out faulty message received due to any of the listener’s inferences, intuition, & assumptions which might have clouded message being sent

15. Role of Feedback in Interpersonal Communications
Brings about continuous improvement between people
Corrects negative & reinforces positive behaviors
Clarifies expectations
Improves mood and morale in relationship
Creates a learning process in relationship

16. Characteristics of Good Feedback
Specific
Timely
Considerate
Focused on behavior rather than personality
Of the appropriate degree
Goal oriented
Can be acted upon by recipient
Is understood & acknowledged

18. Facilitative Responses for Helpful Communications - 1
Advice or Evaluating – judgment of relative goodness, appropriateness, effectiveness, or rightness of speaker’s message sent
Analytical or Interpreting –teaches or imparts insight & shows meaning to speaker
Reassuring or Supportive – reduces apparent anxiety or intense feelings of speaker

19. Facilitative Responses for Helpful Communications - 2
Probe or Question – seeks additional information, provokes further discussion to query
Summary or Clarification – understands correctly what speaker is saying or identifies most significant emerging ideas or feelings
Understanding or Reflection – conveys to speaker that listener understands or “reads” how other is feeling – “This is how world appears to you”

21. Stimulus Questions
How can effective listening affect the mood and morale in your interpersonal relationships?
What is the role of feedback in improving effectiveness of communications in your relationships?
How can effective interpersonal communications affect the bottom line of your interpersonal relationships?