It is MORE than hearing

 the process of receiving, and responding to verbal or non-verbal messages  to hear something with thoughtful attention

 Hearing- physical process; natural; passive  Listening- physical & mental process; active; learned process; a skill  Listening is hard! You must choose to participate in the process of listening.

 Allows you to make sure you hear the words and understand the meaning behind the words  Goal: go beyond listening to understanding

 Believing the responsibility for successful communication lies with the speaker.  Tolerate distractions and pay more attention to how they talk instead of what they have to say.

 Goal is to listen for enjoyment or entertainment  Does not involve analyzing or evaluating information  Sample scenarios include attending a rock concert, listening to music at home, or going to a Broadway show

 Goal is to understand what the speaker is saying and feeling  Involves making an effort to look at the world through someone else’s view  Sample scenarios include listening to an irate client, helping a friend with an emotional situation, or listening to someone who received bad news

 Goal is to consider ideas heard from a speaker to decide if they make sense  Helps with making decisions based on logic and evidence, rather than on emotion  Sample scenarios include listening to a political debate, a talk radio program, or a restaurant critique

 We listen at wpm, think at wpm  75% of the time we are distracted, preoccupied or forgetful  20% of the time, we remember what we hear  More than 35% of businesses think listening is a top skill for success  Less than 2% of people have had formal education with listening

Mode of Communication Formal Years of Training Percentage of Time Used Writing12 years9% Reading6-8 years16 % Speaking1-2 years30% Listening0-few hours45%

 Listening is the most powerful form of acknowledgment …a way of saying, “You are important.”

 Equate With Hearing  Uninteresting Topics  Speaker’s Delivery  External Distractions  Mentally Preparing Response  Listening for Facts  Personal Concerns  Personal Bias  Language/Culture Differences  Faking Attention

 Criticizing the subject or the speaker  Listening only for facts  Not taking notes OR outlining everything  Tolerating or creating distraction  Letting emotional words block message

E – Explore A – Analyze R – Review S - Search

 Provide encouragement  Ask for explanations  Paraphrase the message  Summarize the message  Putting it down on paper