Hearing vs.

Listening
Was I paying attention?

Hearing vs. Listening

Do

you think there is a difference between

hearing and listening?

Hearing

is simply the act of perceiving sound

by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired,
hearing simply happens.

Listening,

however, is something you

consciously choose to do. Listening requires
concentration so that your brain processes
meaning from words and sentences.
Listening leads to learning.
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Most people
tend to be
"hard of
listening"
rather than
"hard of
hearing."

Listening
. . . is intermittent.
. . . is a learned skill.
. . . is active.
. . . implies using the message received.

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The Process of Listening

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Obstacles to Effective
Listening
Physical

distractions

Physiological
Psychological
Factual

distractions
distractions

distractions

Semantic

distractions

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Promoting Better Listening

Desire to listen.

Focus on the message.

Listen and write for main ideas.

Understand the speakers point of view.

Provide feedback.

Listen with the body.

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Types of Listening
Active

vs. Passive
Positive vs. Negative

What Kind is it?

Content

Critical

Empathic

Analytical
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Listening Importance

Most frequently used communication skill

50% of typical workday spent communicating

of this 50%, 45% is spent listening

45% of business persons salary earned listening

Good listeners

are perceived as more intelligent

save time, energy, and other resources

increase chances for advancement and success

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Improving Your Listening Skills

Identify Objectives

Know Your Listening Habits

Generate Motivation and Energy

Eliminate Distractions

Ask questions

Closed
Open

Evaluate Your Progress

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Effective Listening
Effective

listening requires an understanding

that it is not just the speaker's responsibility to
make sure he/she is understood.

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8 Commandments of
Effective Listening

Stop talking! Consciously focus your attention on the speaker.

Put the speaker at ease: Relax, smile, look at the speaker and help that
person feel free to talk. Look and act interested.

Remove distractions: turn off the TV; close the door; stop what you are doing,
and pay attention.

Listen for what is not said. Ask questions to clarify the meaning of words and
the feelings involved, or ask the speaker to enlarge on the statement.

Be aware of "tune out" words. Avoid arguing mentally. Listen to understand,

not to oppose.

Be patient. Don't interrupt the speaker.

Hold your temper! Try to keep your own emotions from interfering with your
listening efficiency.

Empathize with the speaker. Try to "walk in the other's moccasins" so you can
feel what that person is feeling and understand the point of view
the speaker
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is trying to convey.

8 keys to effective listening

Find areas of interest.

The Poor Listener: Tunes out dry topics.
The Good Listener: Seizes opportunities: "What's in it for me?"

Judge content, not delivery.

The Poor Listener: Tunes out if delivery is poor.
The Good Listener: Judges content, skips over delivery errors.

Hold your fire.

The Poor Listener: Tends to enter into argument.
The Good Listener: Doesn't judge until comprehension is
complete.

Listen for ideas.

The Poor Listener: Listens for facts.
The Good Listener: Listens for central theme.

Be a flexible note taker.

The Poor Listener: Is busy with form, misses content.
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The Good Listener: Adjusts to topic and organizational pattern.

8 keys to effective listening

continued

Resist distractions.
The Poor Listener: Is distracted easily.
The Good Listener: Fights or avoids distractions; tolerates bad
habits in others; knows how to concentrate.

Keep your mind open.

The Poor Listener: Reacts to emotional words.
The Good Listener: Interprets emotional words; does not get hung
up on them.

Thought is faster than speech; use it.

The Poor Listener: Tends to daydream with slow speakers.
The Good Listener: Challenges, anticipates, mentally summarizes,
weights the evidence, listens between the lines to tone and voice .
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Evaluation of your Listening

Always Frequently Occasionally

I look for areas of interest when people speak.

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I focus on content rather than delivery.

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I wait to respond until I understand the content. -----

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I listen for ideas and themes, not isolated facts. -----

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I take notes only when needed.

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I really concentrate on what speakers are saying. -----

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I stay focused even when the ideas are complex. -----

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I keep on open mind despite emotionally charged

language.

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THOUGHT OF THE DAY

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