Developing Listening Skill

Since we know now the concept of communication, it is now time for us to know how
we
can achieve an effective communication especially in the work place. Here are some
tips:

1. Make sure it is not too noisy to hear what is being said.

2. Sit or stand so that you directly face the person whom you are talking or
listening to.
3. Maintain eye contact.
4. Use polite opening and closing greetings.
5. Speak clearly in an open neutral tone.
6. Be straight forward and to the point.
7. Keep the message simple.
8. Be patient.
9. Show interest.
10. Used words that the people you are speaking to can understand.
11. Listen carefully to the conversation so that you get the right message.

Another way of developing our communication skill is having a good listening skill;
Communication is never a solo performance. Listening is not just hearing the
sounds, but more of
giving attention to those sounds, recognizing them as words, interpreting them into
ideas and then
evaluating them. Communication, therefore, requires teamwork.

Most people are poor listeners, which often causes problems in their personal and
professional lives. Poor listening results in:
1. Wasted time;
2. Loss of productivity;
3. Failed personal relationships;
4. Accidents; and
5. Other negative outcomes.

Research shows that an average person retains only 50% of a short message after
hearing it.
After 48 hours, retention drops to 25%.

Causes of Ineffective Listening

? Noise
? Daydreaming
? Distractions
? Attitude

Process of Listening

Step 1
Recognition
Step 2
Interpretation
Step 3
Evaluation
? Hearing
? Paying Attention
? Recognizing speech
sounds
? Translation of speech
sounds into ideas
? Weighing ideas for their
worth

Your academic performance is affected by poor listening which results in poor

grades, poor
self-esteem and others. Even your future job will be affected. Studies contend that
poor listening
causes 60% of misunderstandings in business. It is clear that one of the greatest
communication
problems on the job is poor listening.

Listeners Responsibilities

? Pay attention to the speaker. Turn your eyes to the direction of the speaker and
dont think
about anything but concentrate on his/her speech.
? Adopt a new rule. Remove your perception that listening is passive. It is an
active behavior
that requires a lot of efforts and thinking.
? Ask the right question. Assist the speaker by asking courteous and intelligent
question/s if
there is an opportunity.
? Be courteous. Courtesy is a mark of mental health and human decency. Here are
some
suggestion for courteous behavior:
1. Let the speaker know he has your full attention.
2. If you are taking notes, do so unnoticeably.
3. Look and act interested in what is being said.
4. Ask questions only when needed, phrasing them in friendly terms; dont heckle.
5. Avoid the kind of behavior that offends you when you are speaking.
6. And by all means:
? Dont whisper to your neighbor
? Dont shuffle your feet, rustle paper, jingle coins, or play with objects.
? Dont chew gums or eat anything.
? Dont read or do written works.
? Dont make preparations to leave before the speaker has finished.
? Dont perform acts of personal grooming.
? Be open-minded. When you are determined not to listen to the speaker because you
already
know what to think regardless of what he says, your mind is closed. Think of
yourself like
you are an empty glass when listening.
? Evaluate what you receive. Three (3) steps for evaluation of messages; Break
Barriers,
Check Interpretation, Weigh Ideas.

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