7. effective listening

EFFECTIVE LISTENING

LISTENING

• ‘Every good communication starts with listening.’

• Listening is the accurate perception of what is being communicated.

• People who listen are trusted more than those who grab the talking stick

• Good listeners are perceived as competent and capable of leadership.

Types of listening

• Content listening• Critical listening• Empathic listening

Listening process

• Receiving• Interpreting• Remembering• Evaluating• Responding

IMPROVING YOUR LISTENING SKILLS

• Look beyond the speakers style– Don’t judge the message by the speaker but by

the argument– Ask yourself what the speaker knows and you

don’t– Decrease the emotional impact of what is being

said.

• Fight distractions– Close doors– Turn off radios or televisions– Move closer to the speaker– Don’t interrupt– Hold your rebuttal until you’ve heard the entire

message.

• Provide feedback– Let the speaker know that you are paying

attention.– Maintaining eye contact – Offer appropriate facial expressions– Paraphrase what you’ve heard.– Keep all the criticism and feedback positive.

• Listen actively– Listen for concepts, ideas and facts.– Analyse the key points– Keep an open mind– Ask questions that clarify– Reserve judgement until the

speaker has finished.– Take meaningful notes that

are brief and to the point.