Listening

An average person’s communication: 45% listening 30% speaking 16% reading 9% writing 

What is the difference between Hearing and Listening? Hearing: a biological process in which sound waves are picked up and transmitted to your brain. . .it is a constant process.   Listening: a SKILL that involves hearing with attention and concentration. A good listener must understand and interpret sound in a meaningful way. Statistics show the average person misses about 75% of what s/he hears.

Do you have? Selective Attention: choose/select what you pay attention to.  OR Selective Retention: choose/select what you remember.

Four Types of Listening Informative: basis for all listening – with all listening you are obtaining some form of information. Listening to a teacher lecture Sensitive: involves listening to another person’s feelings. Listening to a friend talk about their bad day Critical: examining a persuasive message and making a decision. Listening to an infomercial and deciding whether or not to buy the product Creative: using active imagination as you interpret a message (involves visualizing). Listening to the radio and imagining what the DJ looks like

Types of Listeners Skilled (good) listeners Non-attender: does not pay attention/daydreams Word-picker: only listens sporadically, picking out a few words and assuming the rest. Assumer: tunes out after the beginning of the discussion, assuming the rest

Reasons for Learning Effective Listening Avoid misunderstandings Get along better with others Learn more about the world Be more successful in school or on the job

Barriers to Listening External Barriers: Environment – temperature, place, noises, colors, distractions (you may or may not have control over these) Speaker Barriers: Conflicting demands – if the speaker is saying something you don’t believe in/agree with Speaker’s Credibility – how well-known, believable, trustworthy a speaker is. (Credibility is obtained by introducing the speaker by telling the audience his/her credentials or the speaker cites sources) Speaker’s style – the way s/he delivers the speech, mannerisms & appearance

Barriers to Listening Daydreaming: Close-mindedness The average speaker emits 150 words per minute. The average listener comprehends 380 words per minute. We can understand faster than anyone can talk, so we encounter “dead space”.   Close-mindedness Overemphasizing the Source Listening only to what is easy to understand

Become an Active Listener Prepare to listen Expand your vocabulary Apply the message to yourself: Do I believe what the speaker is saying? How can I put this information to use? Do I feel differently about this subject? Pick out central ideas: Key ideas, not every detail

Become an Active Listener Provide feedback: Look the speaker in the eye Nod head to show agreement Frown or shake head to show disagreement Smile or laugh at humor Say, “yes” or “I see” Don’t slouch Lean forward Remember what you hear: Take notes Process of association

Things to prevent day dreaming: Take notes. Eye contact. Relate info being presented to what you already know. Repeat, mentally, what has been covered so far. Mentally ask questions about the subject to stay focused .

Critical Listening Listen for faulty reasoning Consider the source   Recognize non-verbal cues Use feedback to check interpretation