MPU 3273/ LANG 2128/ BLC 221

PROFESSIONAL
COMMUNICATION

2nd Lecture 05/7/17

 Topics Covered

1. Listening Skills

2. Giving Instructions

3. Receiving Instructions
The Importance of Listening Skills

No man ever listened

himself out of a job.

Calvin Coolidge
30th U.S. President
(1923-1929)
 Types of Listening

PASSIVE ACTIVE CRITICAL

LISTENING LISTENING LISTENING
Listening but not Actively seeking the Listening for meaning
actively engaging the meaning & relevance of & relevance and with
ideas & arguments what is said the goal of evaluating
Absorbing content but Paying attention to what is said
not thinking much where the speaker is Critically evaluating
about it going with his/her what is said regardless
No attempt to analyse, point of personal preferences
question, apply or Trying to put the Listening for what is
remember pieces together by good and bad without
Eg. Like when we taking notes or making letting personal
watch television/movie mental summaries opinions cloud ones
Thinking of lots of judgement
Brain often goes into
neutral questions to ask about Asking oneself if the
the speech speech is effective or
Like zoning out in a
Finds speeches ineffective; are the
conversation
interesting because the arguments strong or
Wont be able to listener helps make weak; is the supporting
produce meaningful sense of the speech. evidence relevant; is
questions the conclusion logical?
 Qualities of Critical Listeners

They think about whether the speech has

appropriate evidence to justify its claims.

They ask themselves about what the speaker is not

saying/avoiding.

They appreciate a well-organised, logical argument.

They assess the strong points of a speech, and say

so but they also offer constructive criticism about
the weak points.
Feedback of Passive, Active & Critical Listeners

Passive listeners usually involve themselves into

the feedback, eg. I felt close to the topic or You
caught my attention with the topic

Active listeners would say something descriptive

about the speech eg. Heres what I think you meant
or Your main arguments appear to suggest that

Critical listeners would say something evaluative

eg. This is where your arguments seemed less persuasive
or A real-life example would have added weight to your
argument
 Barriers to Effective Listening

Hearing disabilities, noisy

Physical barriers
surroundings
Psychological Tuning out ideas that counter our
barriers values
Language Unfamiliar or emotionally charged
problems words
Nonverbal Clothing, mannerisms, radical
distractions hairstyle, appearance
 Barriers to Effective Listening

Thought speed Minds processing thoughts

faster than speakers say them

Faking attention Pretending to listen

Grandstanding Talking all the time or listening

only for the next pause
 Misconceptions about Listening

1.
Listening is a matter of intelligence.
FACT: Careful listening is a learned behavior.

2.
Speaking is more important than listening
in the communication process.
FACT: Speaking and listening are equally important.
 Misconceptions about Listening

3.
Listening is easy and requires little energy.
FACT: Active listeners undergo the same physiological
changes as a person jogging.

4.
Listening and hearing are the same process.
FACT: Listening is a conscious, selective process.
Hearing is an involuntary act.
 Misconceptions about Listening

5.
Speakers are able to command listening.
FACT: Speakers cannot make a person really listen.

6.
Hearing ability determines listening ability.
FACT: Listening happens mentallybetween the ears.
 Misconceptions about Listening

7.
Speakers are totally responsible for communication success.
FACT: Communication is a two-way street.

8.
Listening is only a matter of understanding a speakers words.
FACT: Nonverbal signals also help listeners gain understanding.
 Misconceptions about Listening

9.
Daily practice eliminates the need for listening training.
FACT: Without effective listening training, most practice
merely reinforces negative behaviors.

10.
Competence in listening develops naturally.
FACT: Untrained people listen at only 25 percent efficiency.
 Building Powerful Listening Skills

Concentrate on listening.
Control your surroundings.
Keep an open mind.
Listen for main points.
Use quickness of mind to review.
 Building Powerful Listening Skills

Listen between the lines.

Judge ideas, not appearances.
Restrain from reacting.
Take selective notes.
Provide feedback nod/eye contact.
 Giving Instructions

Giving Instructions
Good instructions are simple instructions. Always explain
the simplest way to do the task and leave out unnecessary details that
could be confusing.

Organize your thoughts. use terms the listener understands. Repeat if

the task is complicated. This helps the listener to remember the
instructions.

When repeating instructions, try to use the same words used the first
time.

Admit if you do not know something, and tell the listener that you will
get back to him or her when you have the correct information. Always
follow through with your promise.
 Giving Instructions

Receiving Instructions
When receiving instructions, focus your attention on the supervisor or
coworker who is giving instructions.

Having the ability to understand instructions shows that you are on the
way to success on the job. Pay attention to the words used.
Ask for clarification if you dont understand something. Check with
the speaker and repeat the instructions in your own words to make
sure that you understand.

Watch the steps closely when someone shows you how to do a task.

Write important points in a notebook to help you remember the

instructions later.