Communication

 A process by which information is transmitted between

individuals and/or organization so that an understanding
response results.

 Exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, attitudes, judgments

or emotions.

Speaking

Listening

Reading

Writing
Learn to listen

Closing the mouth and opening the

ears facilitates effective
communication
Why listen?
 Seek first to understand, then to be
understood. – Stephen Covey

 The need to listen to the other person

before we can expect them to listen to us.
Hearing vs. Listening
 Hearing
 Physiological process
 Reception of sound waves by ears

 Listening
 Hearing as well as interpreting including
other signals.
 Comparison of Communication Activities

Used Listening 45% Speaking 30% Reading 16% Writing 9%

Lend an ear
Why don’t we listen better?
 Message Overload
Why don’t we listen better?
 Message Overload
 Preoccupation
 Wrapped in personal concerns
Why don’t we listen better?
 Message Overload
 Preoccupation
 External Noise
Why don’t we listen better?
 Message Overload
 Preoccupation
 External Noise
 Effort
Why don’t we listen better?
 Message Overload
 Preoccupation
 External Noise
 Effort
 Tired
Why don’t we listen better?
 Message Overload
 Preoccupation
 External Noise
 Effort
 Tired
 Rapid Thought
Listening skills
 Active Listening
Listening with ears, eyes
and heart
Listening skills
 Active Listening
 Ask good questions
 Clarify Meanings
Listening skills
 Active Listening
 Ask good questions
 Clarify Meanings
 Learn about others thoughts,
feelings and wants
Listening skills
 Active Listening
 Ask good questions
 Clarify Meanings
 Learn about others thoughts,
feelings and wants
 Encourage elaboration
Listening skills
 Active Listening
 Ask good questions
 Clarify Meanings
 Learn about others thoughts,
feelings and wants
 Encourage elaboration
 Encourage discovery
Listening skills
 Active Listening
 Ask good questions
 Clarify Meanings
 Learn about others thoughts,
feelings and wants
 Encourage elaboration
 Encourage discovery
 Gather more facts and details
Listening skills
 Active Listening
 Ask good questions
 Clarify Meanings
 Learn about others thoughts,
feelings and wants
 Encourage elaboration
 Encourage discovery
 Gather more facts and details
 Ask open ended questions
Listening skills
 Active Listening
 Ask good questions
 Paraphrase
Listening Skills
 Paraphrasing
 Restating speaker’s message in one’s own
words
Listening Skills

Paraphrasing
 Restating speaker’s message in one’s own words

 Benefits of Paraphrasing
 Helps listener to make sure they understood the message
correctly.

 Allows speaker an opportunity to correct any

misunderstanding immediately.

 Allows speaker to know that listener have heard and is

interested in what he/she has to say.
Listening skills
 Active Listening
 Ask good questions
 Paraphrase
 Empathize with speaker
 "The heart has its reasons which reason knows not
of." — Pascal

 Empathize
 Put ourselves in speaker’s shoes
 "The heart has its reasons which reason knows not
of." — Pascal

 Empathize
 Put ourselves in speaker’s shoes
 Ignore our own perception of the situation
for the moment
 "The heart has its reasons which reason knows not
of." — Pascal

 Empathize
 Put ourselves in speaker’s shoes
 Ignore our own perception of the situation
for the moment
 Accept speaker’s feelings, thoughts, and
ideas of the situation as ours.
 "The heart has its reasons which reason knows not
of." — Pascal

 Empathize
 Put ourselves in speaker’s shoes
 Ignore our own perception of the situation for
the moment
 Accept speaker’s feelings, thoughts, and ideas of
the situation as ours.
 Make eye contact
 "The heart has its reasons which reason knows not
of." — Pascal

 Empathize
 Put ourselves in speaker’s shoes
 Ignore our own perception of the situation
for the moment
 Accept speaker’s feelings, thoughts, and
ideas of the situation as ours.
 Make eye contact
 Empathizing does not mean we need to
agree with the speaker.
Tips to Better Listening

 Stop Talking
Tips to Better Listening

 Stop Talking
 Eliminate Distractions
Tips to Better Listening

 Stop Talking
 Eliminate Distractions
 Don’t give advice until asked
Tips to Better Listening

 Stop Talking
 Eliminate Distractions
 Don’t give advice until asked
 Show interest in the speaker and the
conversation
Tips to Better Listening

 Stop Talking
 Eliminate Distractions
 Don’t give advice until asked
 Show interest in the speaker and the
conversation
 Prompt the speaker
Tips to Better Listening

 Stop Talking
 Eliminate Distractions
 Don’t give advice until asked
 Show interest in the speaker and the
conversation
 Prompt the speaker
 Attend to non-verbal cues
Tips to Better Listening

 Stop Talking
 Eliminate Distractions
 Don’t give advice until asked
 Show interest in the speaker and the conversation
 Prompt the speaker
 Attend to non-verbal cues
 Give Feedback
Tips to Better Listening
The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't
being said. 
~ Peter F. Drucker
 Ask Good Questions
 Paraphrase
 Empathize
 Stop Talking
 Eliminate Distractions
 Don’t give advice until asked
 Show interest in the speaker and the conversation
 Prompt the speaker
 Attend to non-verbal cues
 Give Feedback
Thank you for your listening to me