Business Communication

Unit 4

Unit 4

The Importance of Listening in the Workplace

Structure: 4.1 Introduction Objectives 4.2 What is listening? 4.3 Barriers to Listening 4.4 Strategies for Effective Listening 4.5 Listening in a Business Context 4.6 Summary 4.7 Terminal Questions 4.8 Answers

4.1 Introduction
Listening is the most important of all the aspects of communication. In fact, listening precedes communication. It occurs more frequently on the job than even speaking, reading or writing. The new model of business, based on teamwork, requires more effective listening skills than before for greater coordination. Given its importance, in this unit we will try to understand the true meaning of listening, examine some obstacles to listening and discuss methods to be adopted for better listening in the workplace. Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: Distinguish clearly between hearing and listening Categorize the main barriers to effective listening Assess your own listening skills by adopting specific strategies Recognize the importance of listening in the workplace

4.2 What is listening?

Listening is hard work and is more than just sitting passively and absorbing a speakers words. According to Lundsteen, Listening is a highly complex process by which spoken language is converted to meaning in the mind. Listening has been identified by Stephen Covey as one of the
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 53

Business Communication

Unit 4

seven habits of highly effective people, in his book with the same title. This definition implies that listening is a skill which can be cultivated and developed, just like speaking, reading or writing. Listening is often thought to be synonymous with hearing. The difference is that while hearing is a passive process, listening is active. It means being alert to and understanding the meaning behind the speakers words. While listening, one is engaged in processing the information, reconstructing the information and also giving meaning to the information. This brings us to a discussion of the different types of listening. 4.2.1 Types of Listening 1. Discriminative Listening This is the most basic type of listening, whereby the difference between the sounds is identified. Unless the differences between the sounds are identified, the meaning expressed by such differences cannot be grasped. Once we learn to distinguish between sounds in our own language, we are able to do the same in other languages. One reason why people belonging to one country find it difficult to speak the language of another country is that they find the sounds similar and cannot understand the subtle differences. 2. Comprehension Listening Once we have learnt to discriminate between the different sounds, the next step is to try to comprehend the meaning of these sounds. In order to do this, we require a dictionary of words, along with the rules of grammar and syntax. Apart from the verbal communication, we also need to understand the meaning conveyed by the speakers nonverbal behavior. This can be achieved by closely observing various aspects of the speakers body language and tone of voice. 3. Evaluative Listening This kind of listening involves making judgments about what the speaker is saying. We listen critically and try to assess what is being said as good, bad, worthy or unworthy.

Sikkim Manipal University

Page No. 54

Business Communication

Unit 4

We generally resort to this kind of listening when the other person is trying to persuade us, change our behavior or convictions. The tendency then is to question what the speaker is trying to say. 4. Appreciative Listening This kind of listening could be in the form of paying selective attention to certain kinds of information which might be relevant to us, or which helps to meet our needs and goals. The tendency is to appreciate such information better. Appreciative listening is also used when listening to good music, poetry or a powerful speech. 5. Empathetic Listening In this type of listening, we try to put ourselves in the other persons place and understand the moods, beliefs, goals and feelings behind the speakers words. It requires excellent discrimination and paying attention to the nuances of emotional signals. It also requires a high degree of sensitivity and tactful probing on the part of the listener. Empathetic listening is most often needed at the workplace, when dealing with customer complaints, employee feedback and problems. A manager doing a performance appraisal with an employee for example, should listen to the employees point of view and understand the real reasons for lack of performance. 6. Therapeutic Listening In this type of listening, the listener goes beyond merely empathizing with the speaker and tries to help him to change or develop in some way. In other words, he plays the role of a therapist, by diagnosing the problem at hand and offering a remedy or solution. This type of listening is common in social situations, where family and personal problems are resolved through counseling. It is also important in job situations, where managers try to solve the problems of employees. Taking the same example of a manager doing a performance appraisal, the manager should not only understand the employees problems, but should also counsel him, by suggesting what measures he could take to improve his performance in future.

Sikkim Manipal University

Page No. 55

Business Communication

Unit 4

7. Dialogic Listening As the name suggests, this type of listening involves listening and learning through dialogue. This implies that listening is a two-way, rather than a one-way process. It involves interchange of ideas and information between the speaker and the listener. This type of listening is active listening, whereby the listener continuously seeks clarifications, gives feedback and engages in conversation with the speaker. Another name for this is relational listening, since a relationship is established through the exchange of ideas. Self Assessment Question Are the following statements true or false? 1. Some people are born listeners. 2. Comprehension listening is the most basic type of listening 3. Listening to a salespersons presentation is an example of evaluative listening? 4. Responding to customer complaints is an example of dialogic listening? 5. Solving employees problems often involves both empathetic and therapeutic listening.

4.3 Barriers to Listening

As pointed out earlier, listening is not easy and there are a number of obstacles that stand in the way of effective listening, both within and outside the workplace. These barriers may be categorized as follows 1. Physiological Barriers This was discussed earlier under the barriers to communication. Some people may have genuine hearing problems or deficiencies that prevent them from listening properly. Once detected, they can generally be treated. Other people may have difficulty in processing information, or memory related problems which make them poor listeners. Another physiological barrier is rapid thought. Listeners have the ability to process information at the rate of approximately 500 words per minute, whereas speakers talk at around 125 words per minute. Since listeners are left with a lot of spare time, their attention may not be focused on what the speaker is saying, but may wander elsewhere.

Sikkim Manipal University

Page No. 56

Business Communication

Unit 4

2. Physical Barriers These refer to distractions in the environment such as the sound of an air conditioner, cigarette smoke, or an overheated room, which interfere with the listening process. They could also be in the form of information overload. For example, if you are in a meeting with your manager and the phone rings and your mobile beeps at the same time to let you know that you have a message; it is very hard to listen carefully to what is being said. 3. Attitudinal Barriers Pre-occupation with personal or work related problems can make it difficult to focus ones attention completely on what a speaker is saying, even if what is being said is of prime importance. Another common attitudinal barrier is egocentrism, or the belief that you are more knowledgeable than the speaker and that you have nothing new to learn from his ideas. People with this kind of closed minded attitude make very poor listeners. 4. Wrong Assumptions The success of communication depends on both the sender and the receiver, as we have seen in an earlier unit. It is wrong to assume that communication is the sole responsibility of the sender or the speaker and that listeners have no role to play. Such an assumption can be a big barrier to listening. For example, a brilliant speech or presentation, however well delivered, is wasted if the receiver is not listening at the other end. Listeners have as much responsibility as speakers to make the communication successful, by paying attention, seeking clarifications and giving feedback. Another wrong assumption is to think that listening is a passive activity, in which a listener merely absorbs the thoughts of the speaker. On the contrary, real listening or active listening is hard work it requires speaking sometimes to ask questions, agree or disagree with the speaker, give feedback, etc. Yet another barrier of this type is to assume that speakers are more powerful than listeners. Speakers are seen as being in command of things, whereas listeners are seen to be weak and lacking authority. According to communication experts however, the reverse is true. Listeners are as important and as powerful as speakers. In fact David J. Schwartz, writer and management professor, emphasizes the importance of listening by saying Big people monopolize the listening. Small people monopolize the talking.
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 57

Business Communication

Unit 4

5. Cultural Barriers Accents can be barriers to listening, since they interfere with the ability to understand the meaning of words that are pronounced differently. The problem of different accents arises not only between cultures, but also within a culture. For example, in a country like India where there is enormous cultural diversity, accents may differ even between different regions and states. Another type of cultural barrier is differing cultural values. The importance attached to listening and speaking differs in western and oriental cultures. Generally, Orientals regard listening and silence as almost a virtue, whereas Westerners attach greater importance to speaking. Therefore this would interfere with the listening process, when two people from these two different cultures communicate. 6. Gender Barriers Communication research has shown that gender can be a barrier to listening. Studies have revealed that men and women listen very differently and for different purposes. Women are more likely to listen for the emotions behind a speakers words, while men listen more for the facts and the content. Example A salesperson giving a demonstration of a new type of office equipment may be asked by two colleagues if the equipment will work without any problems and respond by saying Sure. A male user may take his answer at face value, whereas a female user may detect some hesitation in his voice. This is because the male user listens for the content of the message, whereas the female user listens for the tone of the message. 7. Lack of Training Listening is not an inborn skill. People are not born good listeners. They have to develop the art of listening through practice and training. Lack of training in listening skills is an important barrier to listening, especially in the Indian context. Lee Iacocca, former Chairman of the Chrysler Corporation in the US, was one of the first to recognize the need for organized training programs in listening skills. Today, many organizations both in India and abroad incorporate listening skills in their training programs.
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 58

Business Communication

Unit 4

8. Bad Listening Habits Most people are very average listeners who have developed poor listening habits that are hard to shed and that act as barriers to listening. For example, some people have the habit of faking attention or trying to look like a listener, in order to impress the speaker and to assure him that they are paying attention. Others may tend to listen to each and every fact and, as a result, miss out on the main point. Yet another habit is to avoid difficult listening and to tune off deliberately, if the subject is too technical or difficult to understand. Sometimes, the subject itself may be dismissed as uninteresting, because the listener does not want to listen. Self Assessment Question 6. Match the following i) Listenerspeaker gap ii) Listening for emotions iii) Ego problems iv) Switching from one TV channel to another v) Speaking in a different language a. Cultural barrier b. Physiological barrier c. Gender barrier d. Attitudinal barrier e. Bad listening habit

4.4 Strategies for Effective Listening

Although a number of barriers stand in the way of effective listening, these can be overcome through conscious efforts, training and practice. Some of the suggested methods are discussed in detail below 1. Create a Conducive Environment To an extent, you can try to control the environment in which communication takes place, so that listening can take place without any distractions. Ensuring a proper sound system and acoustics so that the speaker is audible, avoiding places with high levels of activity, loud noises from the outside environment and poor air conditioning systems, shutting off mobile phones and telephones, are some of the ways in which you can overcome some of the physical barriers to listening. 2. Select Face-to-face Channels Listening is less accurate in the absence of face-to-face communication. For example, listening to and understanding ideas correctly over the telephone are much harder than through a face-to-face meeting. Take the case of calling a restaurant and placing orders over the telephone for home delivery of a meal. The chances
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 59

Business Communication

Unit 4

are that your orders may not be understood correctly. Therefore, as far as possible, arrange face-to-face contact to ensure more accurate listening. 3. Be Open-minded and Avoid Distractions Listening is an exhausting activity which requires the right attitude and mindset. You have to focus your attention completely on what the speaker is saying, without letting your mind wander. This kind of concentration can be developed through various techniques and through constant practice. In addition, it is also important to rid yourself of the notion that you have nothing new to learn from the other person. Even if it is a subject about which you may be knowledgeable, the speaker may offer a different perspective or point of view. Therefore it is important to listen actively. 4. Use Non-verbal Cues to Indicate Active Listening It is important to communicate to the speaker that you are listening actively to what he is saying. This can be done even without verbal communication. All the different aspects of non-verbal communication discussed earlier should be used for maximum effect. For example, maintaining steady eye contact with the speaker, sitting up with an erect posture, nodding now and then to show appreciation and understanding and appropriate facial expressions are some of the ways in which your non-verbal communication can indicate that you are involved in what the speaker is saying. 5. Use Verbal Communication to Indicate Active Listening While nonverbal behavior by itself can communicate that you are an active listener, it is also important to engage in verbal communication with the speaker. Silence is often interpreted as lack of understanding or attention. You need to seek clarifications, give feedback and suggestions, or just paraphrase in your own words what the speaker has said, in order to convey that you have understood his message. 6. Listen First Before Responding Always let yourself finish listening before you begin to speak. Avoid the tendency to formulate your own response, even before you have listened completely to the speakers words. If you are too busy thinking about what to say next, you may miss the main point that the speaker is trying to make. This also gives the speaker the impression that you are pre-occupied or rude.

Sikkim Manipal University

Page No. 60

Business Communication

Unit 4

7. Use the Speaker-listener Gap constructively It was pointed out earlier that listeners have the ability to absorb information faster than speakers rate of speech. This spare time available to listeners is often misused by letting the mind wander and is one of the physiological barriers to listening. One way of overcoming this barrier is to try to use this spare time to note down what the speaker has said, review what has been said so far and anticipate what he may say next. Thinking ahead of the speaker and trying to guess where his talk is leading is a good strategy for effective listening. This is not easy, but can be learnt through proper training. 8. Focus on the Verbal and Non-verbal Message Listening involves not only hearing and understanding the meaning behind the words, but also being alert to the non-verbal behavior of the speaker. The importance of non-verbal cues has been emphasized throughout this book. It is important to watch for any positive or negative messages that may be conveyed through the speakers tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and outward appearance. 9. Focus on the Content, rather than the Delivery In order to grasp the true meaning of what the speaker is saying, it is important to concentrate on the content of the message, rather than on how the message is delivered. For example, looking at the power point slides during a speakers presentation may distract your attention from the main point that he is trying to convey. Similarly, being over critical of the speakers accent or mannerisms may make you miss the essence of the message. 10. Ask Questions of Yourself and Make Notes In order to engage in active listening, you also need to ask certain questions to yourself while listening. For example, What is the key idea that the speaker is trying to convey?, How does this fit in with I already know on the subject? or How is this presentation organized?, are some possible questions that you could jot down along with the answers. The table on the next page sums up some of the characteristics of good listeners, based on studies carried out on perceptions of listening behavior

Sikkim Manipal University

Page No. 61

Business Communication

Unit 4

A Good Listener
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Considers all evidence before jumping to a conclusion Takes notes when listening, in order to recall information or understand a difficult idea. Concentrates on what the speaker is saying and not on unrelated thoughts Is willing to consider the opinions of others Listens openly when others disagree with him Encourages others to express their ideas, instead of occupying center stage Is able to grasp the main idea from others comments Is curious about other people and their ideas Does not interrupt others, or change the topic to suit his purpose Makes the speaker feel comfortable while talking Remembers important ideas given by others, even when he is busy Does not pretend to understand, when he is confused Recognizes that people may change over time and have something new to offer Tries to find solutions to others problems Knows when to speak and when to listen

Activity Request a professor or a friend to give you a session on career counseling. Assess your own listening skills by questioning the speaker and paraphrasing (i.e., restating what the speaker says in your own words) what he/she says during the session. Self Assessment Question Fill in the blanks 7. Paying more attention to the way a speaker is dressed, is an example of focusing on _______________ rather than ________________. 8. A good listener tries to understand the meaning behind __________________and ______________________ messages. 9. ____________ are known to be physiologically quicker than _______________. 10. Active listening can be demonstrated verbally through _____________ and ________________. 11. A good listener is ________________ and _____________________.
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 62

Business Communication

Unit 4

4.5 Listening in a Business Context

Effective listening is one of the essential qualities of a successful manager. Studies conducted on the skills considered most crucial for managerial ability have indicated that active listening is rated as the most important. In other studies where business people were asked to describe the communication skills that they considered most important and that they wished they had been taught in college, listening figured on top of the list. Listening is therefore crucial in a business environment. It can boost quality, profits and productivity, whereas poor listening has the exact opposite effect. Listening mistakes can lead to costly errors such as retyping of important documents, rescheduling of important meetings and so on. Good listening skills can help you locate job openings, fare well in job interviews and be selected for the job. Once you are on the job, listening becomes even more important. As a manager, you will have to listen to superiors, subordinates, customers and other stakeholders. Listening has been found to be particularly important in certain professions and industries. The service industry, which is a fast growing industry both in India and abroad, is one such example. In the insurance industry, it has been found that good listening has led to career advancement. In the banking sector, good listening skills have been found to distinguish a good bank manager from a bad one. In the healthcare industry, listening to patients has been useful in gathering more accurate information about them. According to a professor at Cornell, one of the top universities in the U.S., Good service, in many respects, is good listening. In order to thrive in highly competitive, rapidly changing environments, service employees must learn to listen well. Tom Peters, business consultant and co-author of the book In Search of Excellence, emphasizes the importance of listening to your customers. He says Find out what the customers really care about and then act. Listening thats the key. Let us discuss why it is so essential to listen to customers. 4.5.1 Listening to Customers Organizations today are beginning to recognize the importance of being customer oriented. Customer orientation means identifying and then satisfying customer needs, which in turn involves listening to what the customer really wants. When measuring customer satisfaction, it is also important to listen to and respond to customer complaints.
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 63

Business Communication

Unit 4

This is because a dissatisfied customer can create negative word-of-mouth publicity for your product and company. Therefore, it is important to satisfy and retain your existing customers, so that they remain loyal to your company. We will discuss some approaches for handling customer complaints and listening to customers 1. Believe the Customer There is a saying that The customer is the king. Therefore it is important to take the customer for his word, even though he may not be telling the truth, rather than doubt what he is saying. Even if the customers complaint may not be justified, it is important to make an attempt to solve his problem. 2. Listen Actively Make your customer feel that you are showing empathy, or putting yourself in his or her place. When a customer starts to complain, it is important to hear out the complaint completely, before responding or offering a solution. Sometimes a customer may be rude, angry and frustrated, but he/she needs to be handled tactfully. Once he/she has vented his/her feelings, it would be a good strategy to repeat the problem in an objective manner, to show that you have heard and understood clearly. Consider the following example of how a sales assistant in a medical shop deals with an angry customer What you are saying is that you entered the shop, asked for and paid for 20 headache pills and when you got home, you discovered that you had been given only 10, is that correct? This is the best way to show the customer that you have listened to and registered the complaint. 3. Apologize Even if the customer and not the company are at fault, it is always a good idea to apologize to your complaining customer. From the customers perspective, he/she is right and therefore expects an apology. A sincere apology will go a long way in calming down an angry customer. A general statement of apology such as We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to you will be sufficient in such a situation. A written letter of apology would also be effective in regaining the customers trust and confidence in the company.
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 64

Business Communication

Unit 4

4. Satisfy There is a saying that A satisfied customer is the best advertisement for your product. This is because such a customer will spread positive word-of-mouth publicity about your product to others. Therefore, it is important to identify your most valuable customers, listen to them and make efforts to retain them, by offering them special privileges from time to time. 5. Thank Even if the customer has launched a complaint, it is important to thank him/her for bringing it to your attention, so that a solution can be found. A customer complaint should be looked at in a positive way - as an opportunity to solve a problem that did not exist earlier. In the absence of the complaint, you may not have been aware of the problem in the first place and this could have damaged the reputation of the organization. 4.5.2 Listening to Employees In the earlier unit on organizational communication, we discussed the importance of upward communication through which subordinates give feedback and suggestions to their superiors. This type of communication should be encouraged and not suppressed, since valuable suggestions may sometimes come from employees. Superiors need to be open to the suggestions and complaints of employees. This is an indication that they are listening to their employees. Listening also means inviting suggestions and personal opinions of employees through regular downward communication. Another situation where listening to employees is of prime importance is during a performance appraisal. This is also part of downward communication. A manager doing a performance review of a subordinate should take care not to do a destructive review, where the subordinate is criticized for poor performance. On the other hand, a constructive review, through which a manager hears out the employees problems and reasons for lack of performance, is an indication of listening to the employee. In this case, he/she listens with empathy and understanding, what we defined earlier as empathetic listening. In such a situation, the manager should also practice therapeutic listening, whereby he/she counsels the employee on how to improve performance. 4.5.3 Listening during Job Interviews Listening is also a skill that is needed by both job interviewers and interviewees, in order to make the interview a success. Ideally, listening
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 65

Business Communication

Unit 4

should take up half the interviewing time, although this rarely happens in reality, since one person or the other fails to listen for some reason or the other. We have discussed these barriers in detail. The relative importance of listening may vary, depending on the type of interview. In an employment interview where the purpose is to assess how well an applicant will perform on the job through discussion, listening will be equally important for both the interviewer and the interviewee. On the other hand, in an exit interview, where the purpose is to gather feedback from the employee regarding his reasons for leaving the organization, the interviewer may have to do more of the listening. Self Assessment Question Are the following statements true or false? 12. Listening skills are equally important in all types of industries. 13. Customers should be made to apologize for making wrong complaints 14. Listening actively to a customer should be indicated through verbal communication. 15. Listening to employees, or inviting their suggestions involves only downward communication. 16. The type of listening during a job interview is mostly evaluative listening.

4.6 Summary
Listening is the most important of all the aspects of communication. More time is spent on the job in listening, rather than in speaking, reading or writing. Real listening is a tiring activity since it means understanding the meaning behind the speakers words and requires concentration. This is known as active listening, as opposed to passive listening, which is simply hearing the sound of the words. There are different types of listening, each of which is appropriate for different situations. They are Discriminative listening Comprehension listening Evaluative listening Appreciative listening
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 66

Business Communication

Unit 4

Empathetic listening Therapeutic listening Dialogic listening

Empathetic listening and therapeutic listening are most often required in a business context, when communicating with customers and employees. Listening is not as easy as it seems, since a number of obstacles stand in the way of effective listening. They may be classified as Physiological barriers, such as hearing problems Physical barriers, such as distracting sounds Attitudinal barriers, such as not being open to others ideas Wrong assumptions, such as the perception that successful communication is the senders or speakers responsibility Cultural barriers, such as different accents Gender barriers, such as different listening styles of men and women Lack of training in listening skills Poor listening habits, such as pretending to listen Some of these barriers can be overcome by consciously adopting a few strategies such as the following Creating the right environment Communicating face to face Being open minded Using non-verbal cues to indicate listening Using verbal communication to indicate listening Listening fully before speaking Using the listener-speaker gap constructively Paying attention to verbal and non-verbal messages Paying attention to content, rather than delivery Taking notes Listening has been found to be a vital skill for job success and is one of the essential qualities of a good manager. Service industries such as insurance, banking and healthcare in particular, require good listening skills. Managers need to listen actively to their customers and employees. Customer orientation means identifying and satisfying customer needs. It also involves responding to customer complaints, in order to ensure that the customer is not dissatisfied. This requires listening with empathy and understanding.
Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 67

Business Communication

Unit 4

Listening to employees involves inviting their inputs and suggestions by encouraging upward communication. It is also important to listen to employees problems during a performance review and to suggest ways of overcoming these problems to improve performance. In addition to the above, listening is a skill that is required by interviewers and interviewees during job interviews, for gathering meaningful information.

4.7 Terminal Questions

1. As a student of management, which types of listening would you need to practice most often? Justify your answer. 2. Describe any situation in your experience where the communication failed because the listening was faulty. Identify the barrier to listening in this situation. How would you overcome this barrier? 3. How would you rate your own listening skills on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being excellent and 5 being poor. Which are your strong and weak areas? How would you overcome your weaknesses?

4.8 Answers
Answers to Self Assessment Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. F F T F T i) b, ii) c, iii) d, iv) e, v) a Delivery; content Verbal; non-verbal Listeners; speakers Clarifications/questions; feedback/suggestions Curious; open-minded/attentive F F T F T
Page No. 68

Sikkim Manipal University

Business Communication

Unit 4

Answers to Terminal Questions 1. Refer 4.2 2. Refer 4.3 and 4.4 3. Refer 4.4

Sikkim Manipal University

Page No. 69