Listening: The Neglected Skill

1. Listening: The Neglected Skill

2. Overview • Listening: The Neglected Skill • Listening vs Hearing • Definition • A five step listening process • What we know about it • Why is listening so difficult • Steps to better listening • How to help someone listen to you

3. Listening: The Neglected SkillHearing vs Listening • Hearing • Physical act of receiving sound • Passive process • No effort • Listening • Selective process • Active process • Takes work

4. Listening: The Neglected Skill Definition: Listening A selective process of: • receiving, • attending to, • understanding, • Evaluating, and • responding to auditory messages Source: Steil, Barker & Watson

5. Receiving – starts with a sound Attending to – paying attention to the sound Understanding – assigning meaning Evaluating – agreeing or disagreeing Responding – action (verbal or non-verbal) Listening: The Neglected Skill Five Step Listening Process “I get it!”

6. Listening: The Neglected Skill What We Know About It • Listening -- the most used communication skill • Research shows: • Most people spend 70% of their waking time in • some form of communication activity • Of this 70% of communication time: • -- 10% is spent on writing • -- 15% on reading •   -- 30% on talking •   -- 45% on listening

7. Listening: The Neglected Skill What we know about it, cont. • Listening - least developed of all communication skills. • Failure to listen is costly. • Listening - one of the most valuable skills you can develop. • Listening classes/workshops improve listening skills. • Communication process depends on listening.

8. Scoring: (20-100) Almost always = 2 Usually = 4 Sometimes = 6 Seldom = 8 Almost never = 10 Listening: The Neglected Skill Listening Habits Survey 80 or above is exceptional 70 is around average or normal Below 60 need improvement Listening Habits Survey by Steil, Barker and Watson

9. Listening: The Neglected Skill Listening-Why So Difficult? • Uninteresting topics • Speaker’s delivery, appearance, or voice • Over stimulation by the message • Listening for facts • Outlining everything

10. Listening: The Neglected Skill Listening-Why So Difficult? Cont. • Faking attention • Internal and external distractions • Avoiding difficult material • Emotional words • Wasting the speed differential

11. Listening: The Neglected Skill Steps to Better Listening • Be conscious of your listening behavior • Motivate yourself to listen • Prepare to listen • Control your reactions • Work at listening • Listen for ideas • Concentrate on the message

12. How to Help Others Listen to You Listening: The Neglected Skill Listening Suggestions • Be a good listener yourself • Be interesting to talk to • Use good eye contact • Tell the truth • Use the listener’s name regularly

13. Listening: The Neglected Skill Listening vs Hearing Definition A five step listening process What we know about it Why is listening so difficult Steps to better listening How to help someone listen to you Summary