Chapter 6 Listening and Reading Nonverbal Messages

Effective Listening: Often times people will just assume that hearing is the same as listening. However, there is a major difference between the two. Those who just hear do not actually interpret the information or understand the communication from the source s point of view. In fact, what separates the best organizations and managers apart from the rest is their ability to listen effectively. In order to be an effective listener, one must first meet the four requirements of the active listening model as mentioned previously (Intensity, Empathy, Acceptance, Responsibility). Effective listening can be learned, and as a result effective listeners also practice other characteristics and techniques to increase their effectiveness. Here are 14 characteristics that increase effective listening:

1) Be motivated Effective listening is no easy but if you are not willing to put forth an effort and understand, no other techniques will increase your effectiveness. 2) Make eye contact Put yourself in a conversational situation, how does the conversation go if the individual you are communicating with stares at the ground the whole time? You will most likely feel as if they are not hearing a word you are saying. The paradox of listening is that we assume people are not listening if they do not make proper eye contact even though we listen with our ears. 3) Show interest It is crucial to show the speaker that you are interested in what is being said. This is usually portrayed through nonverbal signals such as head nods, facial expressions, and eye contact. 4) Avoid distracting actions Opposite of showing interest, it is important to avoid any distractions during the speaker s message. Not only does it show the speaker that you are disinterested and not fully paying attention, but it also may cause the listener to miss key parts of the message.

5) Empathy

Putting yourself in the speaker s shoes. Ask yourself: Who is

the speaker and where is he or she coming from? What are his or her attitudes, interests, needs, and expectations? (Robbins, Hunsaker. 93) 6) Take in the whole picture As important as interpreting feelings and emotions are when communicating, it is equally important to interpret the factual content being conveyed. 7) Ask questions When listeners ask questions it provides clarity, ensures comprehension, and shows the speaker that you are listening. 8) Paraphrase Alike writing notes in class, it is very difficult to retain all the information provided to you unless ample time is provided. However time is usually limited, and to ensure that all important information is retained, effective listeners will restate what is said in their own words. 9) Don t interrupt Let the speaker finish what they want to say before you reveal your thoughts and opinions. 10)Integrate what s being said Rather than listening to the speakers message and dividing it by the different pieces of information given, effective listeners link the unrelated bits of information together and view the message in it s entirety. 11)Don t over talk In our society, the majority of individuals prefer to speak than be spoken to. In a sense, we view listening as a means to speak. However, individuals must remember that it is impossible to talk and listen at the same time, effective listeners acknowledge this and limit their words. 12)Confront your biases It is important to observe the speaker/source of the message. Use the [observed] information about speakers to improve your understanding of they have to say, but don t let your biases distort the message (Robbins. 92). 13)Make smooth transitions between speaker and listener When shifting back and forth the roles between speaker and listener, it is crucial to have smooth transitions within the conversation. The listener must refrain from thinking about what they are going to say while the speaker is conveying their message, this is not easy but it can be learnt through practice.

14)Be natural Although effective listening can be learnt, it must be treated as a process. Those who try and become a compulsive effective listener lose credibility because of their superficial character.

Reading Nonverbal Messages: Nonverbal communication is made up of visual, tactile, and vocal signals, and the use of time, space, and image (Robbins. 93). About 93 percent of communication evolves around nonverbal signals; bodily movements and gestures comprise for 55 percent, vocal tone for 38 percent, and then words for only 7 percent (Rane. 17). That being said, in a world today that places such a strong emphasis on communication and competition, it is absolutely imperative for organizations to assemble a group of employees that can effectively listen and read nonverbal messages.

The visual aspect of communications is also called body language, and includes physical gestures, eye movement, posture, and facial expressions. Reading and interpreting body language is a key factor for organizational success. Perhaps it s biggest advantage is that body language reflects the truth. When individuals are having a difficult time distinguishing if what is being said is true, they analyze body language. Words can be viewed as meaningless but with body language, it is much more difficult to hide true meaning. A study conducted revolving around neurolinguistic programming (NLP) suggests, Rapport and trust develop through synchronization of modes of communication between the sender and receiver, [and that] nonverbal signals are a particularly important mode of communications in the NLP perspective (Wood. 197) This study analyzed car salespersons effectiveness using nonverbal cues and the impact they have on building trust between the customers. The results of the study were as follows: For salesperson cues, the test of the difference in subject assessments of trustworthiness between positive and negative cue scenarios is F (1, 72) = 103.90, p < 0.000. This outcome indicates that subjects trustworthiness assessments are influenced by the presence of the nonverbal cues in the scenarios. (Wood. 200)

Another study involving salespersons success using nonverbal signals implies that there is fit between a recipient s orientation toward the message and the source s nonverbal style, the recipient will feel right and the message will be more effective (Cesario, Higgins. 415). This regulatory fit, or feeling right is experienced when individuals use those strategies of engaging with a task that they prefer given their current regulatory orientation, because using preferred strategies sustains (i.e. fits) the orientation, whereas using nonpreferred strategies disrupts it (Cesario, Higgins. 416). Both studies signify the importance of nonverbal cues in communication and their role in persuasion. In order for organizations to maximize their success, managers must recognize what individuals have the ability to maximize and manipulate nonverbal cues, it must be remembered that it s the people that make the organization successful.

References Byron, K. (2007). Male and female managers' ability to 'read' emotions: Relationships with supervisor's performance ratings and subordinates' satisfaction ratings. Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 80(4), 713-733. Retrieved February 26, 2012, from the Business Source Complete database. Cesario, J., & Higgins, T. E. (2008). Making Message Recipients Feel Right: How Nonverbal Cues Can Increase Persuasion. Psychological Science, 19(5), 415420. Retrieved February 26, 2012, from the Business Source Complete database. Halbe, D. (2012). Whos there?: Differences in the Features of Telephone and Face-toFace Conferences. Journal of Business Communication, 49(1), 48-73. Retrieved February 27, 2012, from the Business Source Complete database. Rane, D. (2010). Effective Body Language for Organizational Success. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 4(4), 17-26. Retrieved February 27, 2012, from the Business Source Complete database. Wood, J. A. (2006). NLP REVISITED: NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONS AND SIGNALS OF TRUSTWORTHINESS. Journal of Person Selling & Sales Management, 26(2), 197-204. Retrieved February 26, 2012, from the Business Source Complete database.