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LISTENING SKILLS

Seema Murugan Dep of HSS IIT Kharagpur India - 721302

Overview (1 of 2)
Introduction: Listening Skills Importance of Listening Types of Listening The Listening Process Barriers to Listening Non-Listening Vs. Active Listening The Nature of Listening Improving Listening Ability The 10 Commandments of Listening
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Overview (2 of 2)
Active Listening : Four components Attending Responses Open-ended Responses Tracking Responses Summarizing Responses Other features of Active Listening When not to Listen
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Introduction: Listening Skills


School teaches us to read, write, and speak, but rarely focuses on the skill of listening This omission is unfortunate as listening skills are the most important foundation for any relationship, including working on a team Listening often misunderstood as a passive activity Better to view listening an active experience that requires attentive engagement with the speaker
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Importance of Listening
Exists as first verbal skill people learn Accounts for most of communication time Ranks high in communication Required much in communication Requires clear thinking, patience, motivation, and hard work Often overestimated in effectiveness
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Three Types of Listening


Content listening Critical listening Empathetic listening

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The Listening Process (1 of 2)


Begins with symbols entering receivers sensory world Involves process of selective perception Depends upon listeners sensory limitations, degree of alertness, and conditioning Entails the nervous system and filtering by the mind Continues with search for ways to express meaning Ends by sending message
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The Listening Process (2 of 2)


Receiving Interpreting Remembering Evaluating Responding

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Barriers to Listening
Prejudgment Self-centeredness Selective listening

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Comparison of Non-listening and Active Listening (1 of 2)


Nonlistening Nonlistening

Orientation toward self Little use of mind (thinking) Lack of etiquette Inattention to principles of effect No consideration of alternate messages

Little empathy Casual attention to meaning Emphasis on winning Little personal involvement Inattention to nonverbal communication Results in conflict

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Comparison of Non-listening and Active Listening (2 of 2)


Active Listening
Orientation toward others Significant use of mind Good application of etiquette Effective use of principles of effect Consideration of alternate messages

Active Listening
Much empathy Intense attention to meaning Emphasis on understanding Much personal involvement Focus on nonverbal communication Results in rapport

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The Nature of Listening


Sensing Filtering Remembering

Improving Listening Ability


Commit to improve Focus attention Cultivate accuracy of filtering Concentrate on remembering Apply techniques

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The 10 Commandments of Listening


Stop talking Put talker at ease Show talker you want to listen Remove distractions Empathize with talker Be patient Hold your temper Go easy on argument and criticism Ask questions Stop talking

Active Listening
Four key components to Active Listening :

Attending responses Open-ended responses Tracking responses Summarizing responses

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Attending Responses (1 of 2)
Verbal indicators Uh-huh, I see, Yes, Interesting, Hmm, etc. Friendly, informal, tentative tone of voice Short statements and questions Simple language (talk rather than communicate, write rather than correspond) Speaking less than 50% of the time
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Attending Responses (2 of 2)
Non-verbal indicators Head nods & tilted head Suitable facial expressions & natural smile Open posture (rather than crossed arms) Open palms (rather than clenched fists or fidgeting) Regular eye contact (but dont stare) Gestures that suit the context Appropriate distance (usually arms length)
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Open-Ended Responses (1 of 2)
Open-ended questions are ones that require more than a Yes or No answer Usually start with or imply What or How :

How do you see things changing? What do you think is the problem? What do you see as the most important issue? What have you thought of? Im wondering . . . ? What would you like to do about . . . ? Could you tell me what that means?
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Open-Ended Responses (2 of 2)
Be cautious with questions Avoid leading questions that suggest you know the answer to the question (e.g., You dont really want to do that do you?) Avoid why questions that imply judgments about the speakers actions or motives (e.g.,

Why didnt you try to solve the problem that way?)


Avoid too many questions as that may suggest to the speaker that they are being interrogated
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Tracking Responses (1 of 2)
Reflecting checks your understanding of the content, words, or feelings expressed by the speaker:

Content: You mean J--- hasnt completed his part of the design specs? Words: You say J--- is not doing his share of

the work? Feelings: You feel angry at J---?

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Tracking Responses (2 of 2)
Clarifying gathers further information:

Do you mean you dont want this assignment? Correct me if Im wrong, but . . . ?

Silence (a brief pause) encourages people to talk.


Increase the length of your pauses to encourage the other person to talk more Avoid excessively long periods of silence as that may be interpreted as a lack of interest or attention
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Summarizing Responses
Summarize the conversation and then ask a question such as Is that accurate? Wait 5-10 seconds for an answer

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Other Features of Effective Listening


Minimize distractions Listen with respect Avoid assumptions Avoid superficial reactions Situate facts in context Remain focused

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When Not to Listen


Speaker is verbally abusive Speaker monopolizes conversation Speaker is out of touch with reality In these sorts of circumstances :

Be assertive Point out that the person is behaving inappropriately State that you will not continue conversation unless you are treated with respect In extreme circumstances, end the conversation until the person has calmed down
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References
Bell and Smiths Management Communication John Wiley Gamble and Gambles Communication Works - TMH Seiler and Bealls Communication: Making Connections, Pearson, 2005. Dwyers The Business Communication Handbook, Prentice Hall, 2000. The Internet

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THANK YOU FOR LISTENING !


Shall we continue ?

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