The Art of Listening

I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what I am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying. Charles C. Finn

The speaker is presenting his talk from Constructivist perspective and his own position and values influence his choice of material and the way he present it. It is neither possible nor desirable to be value-free in such an important area of human endeavor as education. However, it is up to you, the listener, to engage with the ideas presented from

your own values and perspectives.

What is Listening?

the process of receiving, constructing

meaning from, and responding to spoken

and/or nonverbal messages; to hear

something with thoughtful attention

Effective communication is 2-way

depends on speaking and listening

Listening - a neglected art

We spend between 50 and 80 percent of our waking life communicating On average, half of that communication time is spent in listening. Despite all this, listening is the poor relation in communication training.

Our listening habits are not the result of training

but rather the result of the lack of it.

Why Be A Good Listener?

To be recognized and remembered To feel valued To feel appreciated To feel respected To feel understood To feel comfortable about a want or need

LISTENING

In a spoken message, 55% of the meaning is translated non-verbally, 38% is indicated by the tone of voice, while only 7% is conveyed by the words used .

The average person talks at a rate of about 125 175 words per minute, while we can listen at a rate of up to 450 words per minute.

Listening is tied to effective leadership; leaders listen with an open mind by not becoming emotional or defensive.

How Important is listening ?

Listening is the most

powerful form of acknowledgment

a way of saying, You are important.

Listening builds stronger relationships

creates a desire to cooperate among people because they feel accepted and acknowledged.

Listening creates acceptance and openness

conveys the message that I am not judging you.

Listening leads to learning

openness encourages personal growth and learning

Listening reduces stress and tension

minimizes confusion and misunderstanding, eliminating related stress and tension

Listening is CRITICAL in conflict resolution

much conflict comes from the need to be heard. Successful resolution depends on being a non-anxious presence.

What stops us from listening?

Barriers to listening?
Bad/poor listening habits?

What interferes with listening?

Barriers to Listening

Uninteresting
Topics Speakers Delivery External Distractions

Letting your ego

get in the way.

Personal Bias

Language/Culture
Differences

Mentally Preparing Response

Faking Attention

Finishing the

Bad Listening Habits

Criticizing the subject or the speaker Getting over-stimulated Listening only for facts Not taking notes OR outlining everything Tolerating or creating distraction Letting emotional words block message Wasting time difference between speed of speech and speed of thought

Bad Listening Habits

1. Pretending to pay attention when you are not 2. Trying to do other things while listening 3. Deciding the subject is uninteresting 4. Getting distracted by the speakers way of speech, or other mannerisms

5. Getting over-involved and thus losing the main thread of the

arguments or thoughts 6. Letting emotion-filled words arouse personal anger and antagonism 7. Concentrating on any distractions instead of what is being said 8. Avoiding anything that is complex or difficult

Ten keys to effective listening

Find areas of interest. Judge content, not delivery.

Hold your fire.

Listen for ideas. Be a flexible note taker.

Ten keys to effective listening

Work at listening. Resist distractions.

Exercise your mind.

Keep your mind open. Thought is faster than speech; use it.

Best, easiest and most effective way of

showing interest to listen to what is being

said:
Really listen, Focus on what is being said