What is Listening?

All those who can hear or those whose ears are medically fit to hear can listen to the sound caught by his/her
ears. Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. It is
key to all effective communication. It is an active process of getting information, knowledge or ideas
Listening is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to the spoken words. It is
not just about being quiet while someone else is speaking but-
•Listening is with the Mind.
•Hearing with the senses.
•Listening is conscious.
•Improves our interpersonal & oral exchange.
Just Listening to words is not enough; a good Listener has to pay attention to the non-verbal communication
of the speaker. Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are easily misunderstood.

Importance of Listening
•We show that we are serious
•We display respect to other’s view point
•Helps us to learn something new.
•Helps us to adapt and understand
•Empathize
•To avoid communication errors.
•It is considered to be one of the keys to success.

Basic Types of Listening

1. Active listening
•Understanding all things
•Proper interaction.
•Proper feedback
2. Selective listening
•We remember only selective portion.
•Topic is not to our liking or of our interest.
3. Emphatic listening
•When we listen empathetically, we go beyond sympathy to seek a truer understand how others are feeling.
•This requires excellent discrimination and close attention to the nuances of emotional signals. When we are
being truly empathetic, we actually feel what they are feeling.
4. Ignoring listening
•Not listening at all
•Is pretty insulting to others.
•It can lead to strained relations

Process of Listening
It includes 5 Stages: - Receiving, Understanding, Remembering, Evaluating and Feedback.
1. Receiving
•Is the intentional focus on hearing a speaker’s message.
•This stage is represented by the ear because it is the primary tool involved with this stage of the listening
process.
2. Understanding
•In the understanding stage, we attempt to learn the meaning of the message, which is not always easy.
•Deciding what the message means to you
3. Remembering
•Remembering begins with listening; if you can’t remember something that was said, you might not have
been listening effectively.
•However, even when you are listening attentively, some messages are more difficult than others to
understand and remember. Highly complex messages that are filled with details call for highly developed
listening skills.
4. Evaluating
•Evaluations of the same message can vary widely from one listener to another.
•The stages two, three, and four are represented by the brain because it is the primary tool involved with
these stages of the listening process.
5. Responding
•Responding—sometimes referred to as feedback— It is your reaction to the message. It can be emotional
and intellectual.
•For example, you are giving positive feedback to your teacher if at the end of class, you stay behind to
finish a sentence in your notes or approach the teacher to ask for clarification. The opposite kind of feedback
is given by students who gather their belongings and rush out the door as soon as class is over.
•This stage is represented by the lips because we often give feedback in the form of verbal feedback;
however, you can just as easily respond nonverbally.

What Is Effective Listening?

Effective listening is actively absorbing the information given to you by a speaker, showing that you are
listening and interested, and providing feedback to the speaker so that he or she knows the message was
received. Delivering verbal communication, like writing a newsletter, involves trying to choose the right
words
and nonverbal cues to convey a message that will be interpreted in the way that you intend. Effective
listeners
show speakers that they have been heard and understood. But, listening effectively is something that very
few of us do.
It has been found in various researches that by listening effectively, you will get more information from the
people, you will increase others' trust in you, you will reduce conflict, you will better understand how to
motivate others, and you will inspire a higher level of commitment in the people.
In any organisation, effective listening is a way of showing concern for subordinates, and that fosters
cohesive bonds, commitment, and trust. It tends to reduce the frequency of interpersonal conflict and
increases the likelihood that when conflicts emerge, they will be resolved with a "win-win" solution. In
addition, if as a Head, you will listen to the people you manage, you will learn "what makes them tick."
When you know what makes them tick, you will be more effective at motivating them. You can encourage
them when they need encouraging, and you will know what kinds of things they value as rewards for a job
well done (e.g., public praise, autonomy, challenge, etc.).
To sum up, effective listening enhances productivity, improves relations and understanding, helps in
avoiding conflicts, improves negotiation skills and adds to your image & personality.
Techniques/Skills for Effective Listening
There are key elements of active listening which will ensure that you hear the other person, and that the
other person knows you are listening to what they say. These elements are termed as techniques/skills for
effective listening. They are as follows: -
1. Decide to listen.
Listening is a choice. So, deciding to stop talking and start listening is an important first step. Give the
speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal communication
also "speaks" loudly.

2. Let go of your own personal agenda.

To truly hear someone, you need to let go of your own agenda, and prejudices. Focus your attention by
clearing away all distractions and any preconceived notions, so that you can be fully present and create space
in your mind for different views.

3. Listen with your eyes.

Maintain eye contact with the speaker and pay attention to all the visual clues. Look at the speaker directly.
People will appreciate your attention and be better able to communicate with you. With practice, you will
become more able to read the signs and understand the meaning of what is being communicated.

4. Show that you are listening.

Use your own body language and gestures to convey your attention. Nod occasionally. Smile and use other
facial expressions. Note your posture and make sure it is open and inviting. Encourage the speaker to
continue with small verbal comments like “Yes” and “Aha”.

5. Listen for the whole message.

Make sure you hear and understand the whole message before you respond. A common bad habit is to only
hear what you expect to hear, and then begin rehearsing your response, ready to pitch in as soon as the
dialog has stopped. (Or worse still, interrupting with a response to what you think you are likely to hear.)

6. Be patient.
Some people take longer to find the right words, to make a point or clarify an issue. Leave time for them to
think and complete their message. Wait, and then wait some more. Put aside distracting thoughts. Don't
mentally prepare a rebuttal! Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. "Listen" to the speaker's body
language. Refrain from side conversations when listening in a group setting.

7. Listen with respect.

Respecting the right to differ is a key concept that is especially important when you are listening.
Differences may lie in the opinions being expressed, or in the communication style that is being used.
Remember that even when you are not communicating verbally, your own non-verbal cues speak for you.
Listen to understand, not to judge.

8. Be curious.
Effective listening requires you to be curious about how other people see the world. Seek to understand all
you can. Ask open questions and try to see the world through the other person’s perceptual lens.

9. Feel empathy.
This is particularly important when people communicate something personal or painful. Empathy is more
than feeling sorry for someone. Empathy requires you to first understand and feel others’ emotions and
feelings so that you can then acknowledge the message and share your new understanding.

10. Manage your own emotions and reactions.

If what others are saying creates an emotional response in you, be attentive to listen for the intent and full
meaning of their words. Don’t allow others to blow wind into your sails. Remember you have control of
your reactions. You cannot stop the wind, but you can choose to let it spill off your sails! Maintaining your
calm, even when you feel like your ‘buttons’ are being pushed, is a powerful skill that will help you achieve
your goals in all aspects of your life. Getting defensive and angry makes it difficult to impossible to listen.

11. Test yourself for understanding.

Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is
to understand what is being said. Periodically summarize what you have heard to test your understanding.
This may require you to reflect what is being said and ask questions. Reflect what has been said by
paraphrasing. "What I'm hearing is" and "Sounds like you are saying" are great ways to reflect back.

12. Provide Feedback.

Asking questions to the speaker is an effective method of not only to clarify your understanding but a great
way to provide feedback and ensuring the speaker that you had been an active listener throughout. Ask
questions to clarify certain points by asking "What do you mean when you say" OR "Is this what you
mean?". Thus, you will draw out a clearer picture of what is being said. You can also provide feedback by
directly praising the speaker. One should avoid negative feedback unless things are way beyond the
understanding and out of control.

13. Defer judgment.

Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message. Allow
the speaker to finish. Don't interrupt with counter arguments.

14. Respond Appropriately.

Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective. You
add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting him or her down. Be candid, open, and honest in
your response. Assert your opinions respectfully.

Barriers to Effective Listening

A person with normal hearing is not necessarily a good listener. Many different things can prevent a
speaker’s message from being received. These are called barriers to listening.

Some common barriers in the process of listening are listed below: -

1.Pre-judgments about the speaker.

2.Assuming that the speaker is going to give some unimportant information.
3.Arriving late for a speech, presentation or lecture.
4.Judging the speaker by his/her mannerisms, voice, appearance, accent, etc.
5.Lack of concentration/interest.
6.Avoiding listening to difficult, boring or complex information and selectively listening only to what is
considered interesting.
7.Speaker or listener being distracted by disturbances.