1. Listening
“To listen actively to another human being may the greatest gift you can give a person. The power to listen is a remarkably sensitive skill, perhaps the greatest talent of the human race.”
– Meyers & Meyers
“The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer.” – Thoreau
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

2. 1. What art the characteristics of effective and ineffective listeners?
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

3. 2. Why is listening important?
Time
Immediate impact
Learning
Enhances memory
Longer term consequences
Respect
Dependability
Persuasiveness
“Interesting”
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

4. 3. What is listening?
“Listening is a process of taking what you hear & organizing it into verbal units to which you can apply meaning” – Blaine Goss
Example – “Itrainedlastnight”
Phases
Signal Processing – segment structures
Literal Processing – simple interpretation
Reflective Processing – critical analysis, appreciation
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

5. Listening Skills Level 1 (Literal) Level 2 (Reflective) Get main ideas
Get central theme
Retain pertinent content
Resist reactions to emotional language
Follow instructions & directions
Level 2 (Reflective)
Judge relevancy
Predicting what will happen next
Identify speaker attitudes
Judge validity of ideas
Discriminate between fact & inference
Understand imagery implied by the words
Detect personality profile
Detect patterns in thinking style
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

6. 4. What are common myths about listening?
Listening is a natural process
Hearing & listening are the same
Message sent = message received
The speaker is primarily responsible for the success of the communication
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

7. 5. What are barriers to listening?
Word meanings
Disconfirming responses
Impervious response
Interrupting response
Irrelevant response
Tangential response
Impersonal response
Focus on details
Tortoise & Hare Factor
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

8. Barriers cont. Physical barriers Premature evaluation Unclear purpose
Emotional reactions
Expectations/perceptions
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

9. 6. Improving Listening skills
Focus on content, not delivery
Work at listening
Do something about distractions
Focus on understanding, then evaluation
Say-it-back
3 Question Technique
Mirror Technique
Inquire about the meaning of key words
Use the Tortoise & Hare Factor to your benefit
Be aware of your own biases/expectations
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.

10. Listening Exercise Issue Yes No
Teen abortion without parent’s consent?
Mandatory drug testing on the job?
Legalize prostitution?
Death penalty for repeat rapist?
The war in Iraq was a bad idea?
Limit CEO salaries and compensation?
Environmentalist have too much sway on US policy?
2/23/2019
Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.