Effective Listening Skills

December 2015 Draft

 Learning Objectives
Goal: To learn how to listen effectively in class
and in life

Develop students listening abilities,

Teach basic listening strategies,
Address difficulties faced in effective listening, and
Expose students to different listening situations
through activities.
The following saying summarizes the
importance of listening: "We have two ears and
one mouth so that we can listen twice as much
as we speak.
 Listening
Listening is the most important
communication skill
Real Listening is an active process
Listening requires attention.
Communication is not complete
without effective listening.
An attentive listener stimulates better
speaking by the speaker

4
What communication skill can be
more basic than listening?
We spend more time
listening than any other
activity except breathing,
yet we listen at only a
fraction of our potential.
Because we believe
ourselves to be good
listeners we seldom make
an effort to improve.
 Research Findings
One quarter of our waking time is spent in listening

Research shows that at the workplace, on an average, personnel spend about:

32.7 percent of their time listening

25.8 percent of their time speaking
22.6 percent of their time writing

6
 What is Effective Listening?

Effective listening skills are the ability to

actively understand information provided by
the speaker, and display interest in the topic
discussed. It can also include providing the
speaker with feedback, by asking pertinent
questions so the speaker knows the message
is received.

Effective Listening is a skill using multiple

senses to comprehend the message being
sent by the speaker.
 Importance of Listening

The importance of listening extends far beyond

academic and professional settings.
Understanding how to practice good
communication even in your day to day life,
among friends, family, and significant others, is
important for a number of reasons: fostering
good self-esteem, maximizing productivity,
improving relationships, and even becoming a
better speaker.
Listening: as a communication
skill
Listening is one of the most important
communication skills
We probably spend more time using our
Listening Skills than any other kind of skill
Like other skills, Listening takes practice
Real Listening is an active process
Listening requires attention
 Characteristics of Listening

L = Look interested
I = Involve yourself by responding
S = Stay on target
T = Test your understanding
E = Evaluate the message
N = Neutralize your feelings
 Listening V/S Hearing

Hearing- physical process; natural; passive

Listening- physical & mental process; active;

learned process; a skill

. Hearing is the first stage of listening.

 Hearingisanaccidentalandautomaticbrain
responsetosoundthatrequiresnoeffort.Weare
surroundedbysoundsmostofthetime.For
example,weareaccustomedtothesoundsof
airplanes,lawnmowers,furnaceblowers,therattling
ofpotsandpans,andsoon.Wehearthose
incidentalsoundsand,unlesswehaveareasontodo
otherwise,wetrainourselvestoignorethem.We
learntofilteroutsoundsthatmeanlittletous,just
aswechoosetohearourringingcellphonesand
othersoundsthataremoreimportanttous.
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13
 Listening,ontheotherhand,ispurposefulandfocused
ratherthanaccidental.Asaresult,itrequires
motivationandeffort.Listening,atitsbest,isactive,
focused,concentratedattentionforthepurposeof
understandingthemeaningsexpressedbyaspeaker.
Wedonotalwayslistenatourbest,however,andlater
inthischapterwewillexaminesomeofthereasons
whyandsomestrategiesforbecomingmoreactive
criticallisteners.

14
Benefits of Listening
Listeningshouldnotbetakenforgranted.Beforetheinvention
ofwriting,peopleconveyedvirtuallyallknowledgethrough
somecombinationofshowingandtelling.Eldersrecitedtribal
historiestoattentiveaudiences.Listenersreceivedreligious
teachingsenthusiastically.Myths,legends,folktales,andstories
forentertainmentsurvivedonlybecauseaudienceswereeager
tolisten.Nowadays,however,youcangaininformationand
entertainmentthroughreadingandelectronicrecordingsrather
thanthroughreal-timelistening.Ifyoubecomedistractedand
letyourattentionwander,youcangobackandreplaya
recording.Despitethatfact,youcanstillgainatleastfour
compellingbenefitsbybecomingmoreactiveandcompetentat
real-timelistening.

15
You Become a Better
Student
Whenyoufocusonthematerialpresentedina
classroom,youwillbeabletoidentifynotonlythe
wordsusedinalecturebuttheiremphasisandtheir
morecomplexmeanings.Youwilltakebetternotes,
andyouwillmoreaccuratelyrememberthe
instructorsclaims,information,andconclusions.
Manytimes,instructorsgiveverbalcuesaboutwhat
informationisimportant,specificexpectationsabout
assignments,andevenwhatmaterialislikelytobe
onanexam,socarefullisteningcanbebeneficial.

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You Become a Better
Friend
Whenyougiveyourbestattentionto
peopleexpressingthoughtsand
experiencesthatareimportanttothem,
thoseindividualsarelikelytoseeyouas
someonewhocaresabouttheirwell-
being.Thisfactisespeciallytruewhen
yougiveyourattentiononlyandrefrain
frominterjectingopinions,judgments,
andadvice.
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People Will Perceive You as
Intelligent and Perceptive
Whenyoulistenwelltoothers,you
revealyourselfasbeingcuriousand
interestedinpeopleandevents.In
addition,yourabilitytounderstandthe
meaningsofwhatyouhearwillmake
youamoreknowledgeableand
thoughtfulperson.

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Good Listening Can Help
Your Public Speaking
Whenyoulistenwelltoothers,youstarttopickup
moreonthestylisticcomponentsrelatedtohow
peopleformargumentsandpresentinformation.As
aresult,youhavetheabilitytoanalyzewhatyou
thinkworksanddoesntworkinothersspeeches,
whichcanhelpyoutransformyourspeechesinthe
process.Forexample,reallypayingattentiontohow
otherscitesourcesorallyduringtheirspeechesmay
giveyouideasabouthowtomoreeffectivelycite
sourcesinyourpresentation.

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Process of listening

Understanding
Learning

Remembering
Receiving
Recalling
Hearing

Responding Evaluating
Answering Judging
 Receiving
Response caused by sound waves stimulating the
sensory receptors of the ear; it is physical response.

Understanding
It is the stage at which you learn what the speaker
means-the thoughts and emotional tone.

Remembering
It means that an individual has not only received and
interpreted a message but has also added it to the
mind's storage bank.
 Evaluating

It consists of judging the messages in some way. At

times, you may try to evaluate the speakers
underlying intentions or motives.

Responding
This stage requires that the receiver complete the
process through verbal and/or nonverbal feedback;
because the speaker has no other way to determine if
a message has been received .
 10 Steps to Effective Listening

Step 1: Face the speaker and maintain eye

contact.
Step 2: Be attentive, but relaxed.
Step 3: Keep an open mind.
Step 4: Listen to the words and try to picture
what the speaker is saying.
Step 5: Dont interrupt and dont impose your
solutions.
10 Steps to Effective Listening (2)

Step 6: Wait for the speaker to pause to ask

clarifying questions.
Step 7: Ask questions only to ensure
understanding.
Step 8: Try to feel what the speaker is feeling.
Step 9: Give the speaker regular feedback.
Step 10: Pay attention to what isnt saidto
nonverbal cues.
The Process of Listening can be
categorized into 4 main areas

Hear

Clarify

Interpret

Respond
 Hear
To listen actively and effectively, one must be a good hearer. Hearing
involves picking up the sounds of the speaker by performing these actions:

Allow the other person to talk.

Avoid interruptions.
Clear one's mind of distractions.
Encourage the speaker to elaborate on what is being said through
verbal and nonverbal cues.
Focus on the speaker; e.g., maintain eye contact.
Listen to what is said and not how it is said.
Model the speaker's physical behavior to encourage further talking.
Observe nonverbal behavior as well as what is said.
Recognize that hearing is a psychological and physiological process.
Use open-ended questions to encourage the speaker to continue
talking.
 Clarify
Often, what is said is not completely or accurately heard. Although the
speaker has the responsibility to ensure that what he or she said is
understood, the reality is that the listener must make some effort, too.
Here are some steps to help clarify what was said:

Ask open-end questions to probe for further detail.

Avoid asking leading questions to get the desired comment or
response.
Avoid coming to conclusions before the speaker finishes.
Be cognizant of the speaker's choice and application of words.
Encourage feedback through questioning.
Keep all of your questions pertinent to the topic.
Look for synchronicity between what was said and body language.
Maintain two-way communication.
Paraphrase what was said and verify for accuracy.
Try to separate assumptions from facts and data.
 Interpret
After clarifying what the speaker said, be ready to interpret the message.
Interpretation requires ascertaining not only the credibility behind what
the speaker said but also an understanding of what was said. Here are
some steps for interpreting a speaker's remarks:

Avoid taking what the speaker says at face value by looking at

feelings as well as body language.
Communicate your interpretation and verify its accuracy.
Concentrate on facts and data, not perceptions.
Distinguish between assumptions, and facts and data.
Identify the main ideas.
Pay attention to nonverbal communications to determine sincerity
about what is said.
 Respond
Sometimes we have to respond to what the speaker says. Of the four
steps, this one is optional. Any response will have a physiological,
emotional, and psychological aspect to it. Here are some steps to respond
effectively:

Be sincere.
Conduct follow-up, if necessary, on any resulting request by the
instructor or the speaker.
Demonstrate a physiological (e.g., body language) and psychological
response.
Exhibit empathy rather than sympathy.
Exhibit verbal and nonverbal cues that build bridges rather than walls
between the project manager and the speaker.
Seek feedback on your response.
Why Few People Listen Effectively
Listening sometimes does not come easy.
Often, the difficulty is not because people are
not willing to listen but because they are
unable to do so.
Their mind does not allow them to see the
total picture because they are only able to
see the world in one dimension.
This inability to listen using both sides of the
brain can cause miscommunication,
misinterpretation, and miscalculation.
Why Few People Listen Effectively
(2)
The result can be a listener who is unable to
deal with not only the logic of a relationship but
with the emotional component either.
Hence, this asymmetrical use of the brain often
results in the inability of the listener to absorb
all the necessary cues from the person
speaking.
Effective and active listening requires, using
both sides of the brain. Unfortunately, few
people understand this fact.
Instead, they see this skill as one reflecting the
use of the right or left side of the brain.
 Benefits of Effective Listening

Enhances productivity
Improves relations
Avoids conflict
Improves understanding
Improves negotiation skills
Helps you stand out
People will appreciate it
 Types of Listening
DISCRIMINATIVE LISTENING It involves identifying the
difference between various sounds.

COMPREHENSION LISTENING It involves attaching

meaning to what is being listened to.

EVALUATIVE LISTENING It involves evaluating and

analyzing the message being received.

SELECTIVE LISTENING It involves selecting the desired

part of the message and ignoring the undesired part of the
message.

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 Must Have Soft Skills for Careers
Success
While speaking, writing, and listening are everyday actions, many professionals
underestimate the importance of communication skills. People tend to prioritize
technical skills over communication skills, not realizing that they cannot be fully
effective in their jobs if they are inadequate speakers, writers, and listeners. Yet
it is particularly in the fields (working field) that effective communication skills are
crucial to success.

In a survey conducted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers of both

society members and nonmembers in engineering-related positions, respondents
said they believe communication skills -- such as business writing, technical
writing, public speaking, and presentation preparation -- are crucial for success
as engineers work in and among more varied groups.

The interaction between stakeholders, whether it is internal in an organization or

external with partners or clients, is fraught with opportunities for
misunderstanding. That is why effective communication also involves
listening, which is an essential soft skill. Without actively listening to customers,
clients, or project partners, problem-solving becomes much more difficult and
time-consuming.
 Effective Listeners:
The Real Deal
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and
interpret messages in the communication
process.
Listening is key to all effective communication,
without the ability to listen effectively messages
are easily misunderstood communication breaks
down and the sender of the message can easily
become frustrated or irritated.
If there is one communication skill you should aim
to master then listening is it.
Learn more at:
http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/listening-skills.h
tml#ixzz3uz0Gwzys
Barriers to Effective Listening
PHYSICAL BARRIERS
1. Noise
2. Defective machines
3. Environment
4. Message overload

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PERSONALBARRIERS
PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
BARRIERS BARRIERS

1. Stateofhealth 1. PersonalAnxiety
2. Disability
2. Attitude
3. Wandering
attention 3. Beingunsureof
speakersability.

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 7WaystoImproveYour
Listening

1.)Increaseyourlisteningspan:
Trytoresistthetemptationtointerrupt.

Makesurethespeakerhashadacomplete
chancetomakehisorherpointbeforeyou
speak.

Ifyoudon'tgetthewholemessage,askthe
WaystoImproveYour
Listening

2.)Listenbetweenthelines:

Trytounderstandtheattitudes,needsand
motivesbehindthewords.

3.)WriteDowntheKeyPoints.
WaystoImproveYour
Listening
4.)Giveyourfullattention:
Noddingorinterjectingoccasionallyto
clarifyapointletsthespeakerknowyou
areinterested.

Useopen-endedquestionstoencourage
elaboration.
WaystoImproveYour
Listening
5.)Restatethemessage:
Whenyouaresurethatthespeakerhas
finished,restatethemainpoints.

Italsogivesthespeakerassurancethat
themessagehasbeenreceived.
WaystoImproveYour
Listening
6.)Listenforideasaswellasfacts:
Agoodlistenermakesanefforttounderstand
whatthefactsaddupto.

7.)Don'tmonopolize:
Resisttheurgetodominateasituationortofeel
thatyouknoweverythingaboutasituation.

Beopentonewideasandallowthespeakerto
havehisorhersay.
Listening Exercises
 Listening Exercises: Games to
Improve Attention
Paying close attention to a speaker is the first requirement
of active listening. Maintaining attention isnt easy,
especially when the speaker or topic isn't interesting.
Improve attention skills with games that require players to
observe and remember details. Matching games -- like
those that require players to remember the location of
concealed images or find discrepancies between identical
pictures -- build attentiveness. Make your own listening
game out of reading a descriptive excerpt to players. Ask
the players to list as many specific details as they
remember, such as colors, dates, and names. The player
who can accurately recall the greatest number of details
wins.
 Listening Exercises:
Concentration Games
Even when a college student consciously pays attention
when listening, outside distractions can break his
concentration. Memory games improve concentration skills
by requiring players to recall images, sequences and
patterns. To play a listening-based memory game among a
group of students, begin a story and then instruct the
group to take turns adding to the story. For example, start
with, Im going on vacation and Im bringing my bathing
suit. The first player to your right repeats the sentence
and adds an item to the list. Continue until someone
breaks the order.
 Listening Exercises: Additional
Resources
http://blog.trainerswarehouse.com/communication
-and-listening-exercises/
https://blog.udemy.com/listening-skills-exercises
/
 KEY TAKEAWAYS
Hearing is the physiological process of attending
to sound within ones environment; listening,
however, is a focused, concentrated approach to
understanding the message a source is sending.
Learning how to be an effective listener has
numerous advantages. First, effective listening
can help you become a better student. Second,
effective listening can help you become more
effective in your interpersonal relationships.
Third, effective listening can lead others to
perceive you as more intelligent. Lastly, effective
listening can help you become a stronger public
speaker.
 Summary
Spend more time listening, and less time
talking.
Find interest in the other person.
A Good listener keeps the communication
path open.
Read between the lines, a message has
both content (words) and feelings.
Take notes, we think faster than we talk.
Assume the proper stance, assuming the
stance of an attentive listener can
actually improve listening.
Beware of your filters, people have
different filters based on their cultures,
upbringing and genders. Men and women
often have different kinds of filters that
can cause listening problems.
 EXERCISES
Think of a time when you were too tired or distracted to give your
full attention to the ideas in a speech. What did you do? What
should you have done?
Imagine that youre in the audience when the main speaker
proposes an action that is so offensive to you that you earnestly
want to stand up and walk right out of the room. You are sitting
near the end of a row, so it would be possible to do so. You notice
that other people are listening intently. You hope others will not
assume that by your presence, you show that you agree. What is
the most ethical choice?
a. Continue listening to be sure your understanding is accurate and to see
whether the speaker explains the point of view in a way that makes it more
acceptable.

b. Interrupt the speaker so other listeners wont be taken in by the message.

c. Walk out as a symbolic gesture of disagreement.

 END-OF-CHAPTER ASSESSMENT
1. The difference between hearing and listening is
a. very small; the two processes amount to about the same thing
b. hearing is mindful and intentional, but listening is effortless
c. hearing is effortless, but listening is mindful and intentional
d. hearing requires strong motivation and attention, but listening is an
automatic human response to speech
e. hearing depends on listening, but listening does not depend on hearing
2. Although you are a strong advocate of First Amendment rights, especially the
protection of religious freedom, you find an exception to your beliefs when a speaker
defends the rights of separatist religious sects to practice polygamy. Which of these
responses is most ethical?
f. Wait until the end of the presentation, then stand up and insist that the speaker
listen to your rebuttal, just as you have listened to him or her.
g. Seek a way to infiltrate the sect in order to investigate the truth of whats really
going on.
h. Go home to look up passages in the Bible that either support or refute the speakers
claims, then write an anonymous letter to a newspaper opinion page.
i. Sit quietly and listen to the speech to decide whether the message contains
elements of value or whether to leave your original opinion unmodified.
j. Have a sense of humor; lighten the mood with a little laughter.
3.Which of the following statements is best?
a. A fact is carefully reasoned.
b. A fact is verifiable by authoritative evidence.
c. A carefully considered opinion is as good as factual evidence.
d. Assumptions are always wrong.
e. Opinions, even expert opinions, never belong in human discourse.
4. What is critical listening?
f. negative judgments listeners develop during a speech
g. the practice of detecting flaws in a speech
h. a listeners use of his or her opinions in order to mentally refute
factual details in the speech
i. the rejection of a message
j. careful scrutiny of the ideas and logical elements of a speech
5.Listening to a speech with an open mind
means
a. accepting the claims and conclusions of
the speech
b.listening in order to learn
c.listening in order to quote the speaker
later
d.replacing your outdated knowledge with
the newer information in the speech
e.you must allow the speaker his or her First
Amendment rights
 Answer key

1. c
2. d
3. b
4. e
5. b
Questions
 Advanced Learning Workshop
Contact Information

Status (14 June 2013)
List the speakers/presenters and provide contact
information (email)
 References
http://www.ittoday.info/Articles/Applying_List
ening.htm
https://adanders.wp.d.umn.edu/fa15sec3/two-e
ars-one-mouth-why-listening-is-more-importan
t-than-talking/
http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/listening-skil
ls.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2012
/11/09/10-steps-to-effective-listening/
 References
http://www.educationcorner.com/listening-skil
ls.html
http://blog.readytomanage.com/top-20-best-b
ooks-on-communication-and-listening/
http://www.engineering.com/Jobs/JobArticles/
ArticleID/5630/Which-Communication-Skill-Is-
Most-Important.aspx
 Suggested Readings
Power Listening: Mastering the Most Critical
Business Skill of All, by Bernard T. Ferrari, 2012
Active Listening 101: How to Turn Down Your
Volume to Turn Up Your Communication Skills
Kindle Edition, by Emilia Hardman
The Lost Art of Listening, Second Edition: How
Learning to Listen Can Improve Relationships Kindle
Edition, by Michael P. Nichols
http://www.wolaver.org/teaching/listeningskills.htm
http://www.slideshare.net/smileyriaz/listening-skil
ls-11545165