Listening

Mohammad KaShif AliTextile Engineering (2013-17)NTU,Pakistan13.ntu.202@gmail.com

“They call me the Speaker, but they really ought to call me the Listener.”

Dennis Hastert Speaker of the U.S.House of Representative

What is listening?

•Listening is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and/or nonverbal messages; to hear something with thoughtful attention

•Effective communication is 2-way

•depends on speaking and listening

Why listening skill is important?

• Improves relationships• Improves our knowledge• Improves our understanding• Prevents problems• Saves time and energy• Can save money• Leads to better results

Listening is the most powerful form of acknowledgment

…a way of saying, “You are important.”

Common Conceptions About Listening

• Listening & Hearing are same• Listening is a natural process• Listening does not require effort• All listeners receive the same message• Smarter people are better listeners• Listening improves with age• Good readers are good listeners

Process of Listening

Hearing Attending Understanding

Responding

Remembering

Facts

• We listen at 125-250 wpm, think at 1000-3000 wpm

• 75% of the time we are distracted, preoccupied or forgetful

• 20% of the time, we remember what we hear

• 100% of the people think listening is a top skill for success

• Less than 2% of people have had formal education with listening

Faulty Listening Behaviours

• Pseudo Listening ---- Pretentious• Selective Listening ---- Responding at one’s will• Defensive Listening ---- Touching, Aggressive, Egoist• Ambushing ---- Listening to attack only• Insensitive Listening ---- Passive; Non-interactive• Stage Hogging ---- Conversational Narcissist

Hearing vs Listening

To perceive sound via the ear

Listening leads to learning

• To concentrate on hearing something; heed or pay attention to

• Collins English Dictionary

Hearing vs listening

• Hearing: Listening:

• Physical process Physical & mental process• Natural Learned process• Passive Active, Skill• Subconscious Conscious

Ways to improve listening

• Here are 7 strategies and suggestions to help you improve your listening skills.

•1.) Increase your listening span: •Try to resist the temptation to interrupt.

•Make sure the speaker has had a complete chance to make his or her point before you speak.

•If you don't get the whole message, ask the speaker to repeat what they said.

Ways to improve listening

• 2.) Take time to listen: •Don't put obvious limitations on your listening time

- the speaker will feel rushed.

• 3.) Listen between the lines: •Don't just listen to what is being said.

•Try to understand the attitudes, needs and motives behind the words.

Ways cont..

• 4.) Give your full attention: •Nodding or interjecting occasionally to clarify a

point lets the speaker know you are interested.

•If the speaker pauses briefly, don't rush to fill the silence.

•Use open-ended questions to encourage elaboration.

Ways cont…

• 5.) Restate the message: •When you are sure that the speaker has finished,

restate the main points.

•This is a good organizing strategy for you.

• It also gives the speaker assurance that the message has been received.

Ways cont…

• 6.) Listen for ideas as well as facts: •A good listener makes an effort to understand what the facts add up to.

• 7.) Don't monopolize: •Resist the urge to dominate a situation or to feel that you know everything

about a situation.

•Be open to new ideas and allow the speaker to have his or her say.

Types of Listening

• Passive Listening • Informative Listening• Relationship Listening• Appreciative Listening• Critical Listening

Passive listening

• The physical presence and mental absence of the listener is called passive listening

• Just hearing

Informative listening

• The situation where the primary concern of the listener is

to understand the message

• Listening to lectures, briefings, reports, speeches,

instructions, etc.

• The meanings the listener assigned tends to be as close as

possible to that which sender intended

• Vocabulary• Concentration• Memory

Relationship listening

•To help an individual or improve relationship between

people

•Also referred to as Therapeutic listening

•Attending•Supporting•Empathizing

Appreciative listening

• The response of the listener, not the source of the message

• The same thing could provide different response for different listeners

• Usually includes music for enjoyment, speakers for their style, or for

some personal interest

• Presentation

• Previous experience

Discriminative listening

Hearing Ability

Awareness of Sound Structure

Integration of non-verbal cues

Critical listening

• The ability to judge others through listening

• The deception of words could be evaluated

• The reliability and authenticity could be interpreted and

analyzed

• It is needed everywhere around us

Good vs Bad listener

A good listener A bad listener

Looks at the person speaking Always writing and taking notes

Reacts responsively Is unresponsive

Pays close attention to others Is inattentive

Does not interrupt the speaker Always interrupts; Keeps finishing the speaker’s sentences

Is sensitive to the speaker Makes moral judgments

Does not rush at the speaker Jumps to conclusions

Asks appropriate questions Changes the subject

Is emotionally controlled Can’t control emotions; impatient

Has no hidden agenda Fidgets (moving restlessly) nervously

Deterrents to the listening process

Deterrents Results

Lack of interest Unable to concentrate

The ego basic communication

block

Unable to accept speaker’s view

Involvement with the self Unable to listen

Deterrents Results

Fear Unable to concentrate

Preconceived ideas and notions Closed minds

The familiarity trap Assured of self

Stress… negative impact hyper tense

Barriers

• Environmental barriers

• Physiological barriers

• Psychological barriers

• Selective Listening

• Negative Listening Attitudes

• Personal Reactions

• Poor Motivation

• Thank you for listening!• Any questions?