Listening means hearing sounds
through ears with full attention. In order to interpret and respond to the
message, we need to pay attention through listening. By listening we get
information, briefing, orders, guidance, warnings, and news. When someone
speaks he tries to inform, convince, or entertain one or more individuals.
Listening plays a vital role
in business. An individual in business spends most of the day listening and
talking. Listening is the key element which makes the communication process
effective. It has a great influence in our lives to get knowledge and
information. Listening is learning because the more you listen the more you
learn. Generally, a person who listens with full concentration is appreciated.
In this section we will be
discussing the following topics.
1. Responsibilities of
listener.
2. Nine reasons for poor
listening.
3. Ten commandments of good
listening.
Responsibilities of Listener
As speaker has responsibility
to communicate effectively as possible, the listener has also responsibilities.
The listener should prepare himself before he listens. He must concentrate on
the both verbal and nonverbal message of the speaker.
Prepare for Listening
As a listener in a group you
are influenced by the speaker, the message, other listeners, physical
condition, and your own attitude and opinions. In order to give your full
attention to the speaker and the message, you should sit in such a position
where you can see speaker’s gestures and clearly hear the tone of his voice.
Also sit up upright and look directly at the speaker. If you feel that you are
sitting at a place that is disturbing, you should change your location. Also
avoid other factors such as draft from a window or door, excessive heat, and
undue glare that might distract your attention.
Concentrate on the Message
In order to decode the message
correctly, you must concentrate on the verbal and nonverbal message. Following
points should be deemed for having good concentration.
1. Once the speaker starts his
speech, be attentive and avoid wandering your mind.
2. If the speaker has not
organized the material well, try to figure out the purpose and major points of
the message.
3. If speaker’s words hurt
you, control your emotions until he ends.
4. Avoid personal bias and
keep your mind open to understand the message he meant.
5. Try to keep your personal
attitudes, opinions and emotions from affecting your listening.
6. Observe the speaker’s
gestures, tone of voice, and physical movements which will help you to
understand the message clearly and comprehensibly.
Nine Reasons for Poor Listening
1. Competition for attention:
It results when you are overly busy.
2. Failure to concentrate: Lack of concentration is the result of existing
environmental condition and speaker’s speed which is greater than the
listener’s.
3. Emotions and feelings: Angry, shouting, grieved and overly happy
persons are poor listeners.
4. Evaluation: When listener starts evaluating situation during
listening, he cannot understand the message.
5. Sluggishness: When you are inactive you are unable to
understand.
6. Distraction: When your attention takes away from the speaker to
some other object you are unable to understand.
7. Language: When the listener does not familiar with the language
of speaker, the listener is unable to understand.
8. Exhaustion and drowsiness: When you are mentally or physically
tired or feel sleepy you cannot listen.
9. Topic: An uninteresting topic makes you poor listener.
Ten Commandments for Good Listening
1. Stop talking: You learn nothing when you talk.
2. Put the talker at ease: Create a permissive environment in which
he feels free to talk.
3. Show him that you want to listen: Look and act interested. Do
not busy yourself with newspaper or mail while he talks. Your lack of interest
will discourage him.
4. Remove distractions: Do not doodle or shuffle papers. It would
be better if you shut the door and switch off the cell phone.
5. Empathize with talker: As a listener you should try to put
yourself in his place so that you can see his point of view.
6. Be patient: Do not interrupt him. Allow plenty of time to finish
the talk.
7. Hold your temper: If you
lose your temper, you may get wrong meaning from the words.
8. Take it easy on argument and criticism: He may calm up or get
angry. Do not argue because even if you win, you lose.
9. Ask question: It helps to develop points further and encouraging
talker that you are taking listening.
10. Stop talking: This
is the first and last principle of good listening. You should not only stop
talking at the beginning but also throughout the message delivery process.
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