ACTIVE LISTENING VERSUS PASSIVE LISTENING

Chapter 1
Introduction
Active listening
Active listening is a form of auditory communication in which listeners actively listen to the
speaker and respond. It is not always that when two people are having a conversation, that
each of them is listening to one another. Partially listening and partially thinking are
common distractions that occur. In personal and professional interactions, active listening is
one of the essential, must have skills. It can influence the quality of work and the quality of
relationship with others. To improve the active listening level, attention must be given to the
other person. To improve listening skills or active listening, the other person must be able to
listen to the speaker. Active listening does not mean paying attention on what the speaker is
talking about, but also continuously responding in verbal and non-verbal ways. This type of
listening is widely used in many situations such as community organization, advocacy,
tutoring, counselling, etc.
Passive listening
Passive listening is where a person is listening to the speaker, however, only giving him
partial attention, often distracted by something in mind or in immediate environment. The
person sits like a statue and does not respond to the speaker in any way. A common practice
of passive listening is daydreaming while someone is talking or listening music. The
interaction may often require direct answers from listeners, however, passive listeners have
eroded concentration and give minimal verbal response. Passive listening occurs when the
listener has a low level of self-motivation, little commitment and avoids the responsibility of
learning and solving problems. In passive listening, the listener accepts and retains
information as it is, without the intention to question or challenge the idea of improvement. It
disconnects from others or shows a minimal interest. In so doing the listener creates the
complications for himself because at the crucial moments forgetting would be inevitable. In
general, passive listening means that the listener is separated from the speaker in a way that
there is no meeting of minds.
Key differences
• In active listening, the listener shows interest through overall bodily engagement in
response. While in passive listening the listener uninterested and displays an ignorant
attitude.
• Active listening is understanding feelings and reflecting on the undertones of the verbal
input, while passive listening entails mental separation from the subject at hand.
• In general, in active listening, we are sincerely interested in understanding the other person's
point of view. As we passively listen, we assume we have understood it correctly, but we
remain oblivious and do not take steps to verify it.
• Active listening is mutual communication for both the speaker and the listener to engage
with one another, while passive listening is in essence, a monologue.
• In active listening, the listener pays the great attention when commenting, criticising or
appreciating ideas and asking queries, whereas, in passive listening, the listener does not react
at all.
• Active listening requires effort because the listener needs to be attentive while passive
listening is effortless.
• In passive listening, the listener only listens, while in active listening, the listener is
involved in other areas such as analysis, evaluation and summary.
• Active listeners give more time taking input and processing than to giving output while the
passive listener listens to a few words and talks more or does not pay attention either of the
areas.
• The active listener engages in intellectual exchange while the passive listener hides or
denies any form of connection by avoiding contentions.
• Active listening means having an clear mind, a strong determination and an interest in new
ideas. Passively listening signifies having a narrow outlook and not being open to new ideas.
• An active listener is always a motivated person who is aims at personal development while
the passive listener needs external encouragement to be motivated.
• Active listening means having a well formed mind and being vigilant to explore, enquire
and reflect on content delivered. In passive listening, none of this takes place.
Chapter 2
Methods of active listening
Active listening involves listening with all the senses. In addition to paying attention to the
speaker, it is imperative that "the active listener" is also "seen" to be listening; otherwise, the
speaker might conclude that he does not interest the listener.
Interest can be shown to the speaker through the use of verbal and non-verbal means, such as
maintaining eye contact, nodding and acknowledging, saying "Yes" or "Mmm hmm" to
encourage them to continue. By doing this, the person who speaks will generally feel more
comfortable and communicate easily, openly and honestly.
Active listening does not just mean concentrating entirely on the speaker, but also actively
shows verbal and non-verbal signs of listening.
In general, speakers want listeners to show case "active listening" by responding
appropriately to their speech. The responses to listening can be verbal and non-verbal,
examples of which are listed below:
Active listening signals
Non-verbal signals of attentive or active listening
This is a general list of non-verbal listening signs, in other words, it is more likely that people
who listen, show these signals. However, these signs may not be appropriate in some
situations and in all cultures.

Smiling
Smiles can be used to show that the listener in paying attention to what is being said or as a
sign of acceptance that the messages has been received. In addition to head movements,
smiles can be an effective means to say that the messages have been heard and understood.

Visual contact
It is normal and generally encouraging for the listener to watch the speaker. However, eye
contact can be intimidating, especially for the under confident speakers. Using a combination
of eye contact with smiles and other non-verbal messages can encourage the speaker.

Posture
Posture can tell a lot about the interpersonal equation between the people involved in the
exchange. The attentive listener tends to lean slightly ahead or sideways. Other signs of
active listening may include a slight forward positioning of the head.
Mirroring
The automatic reflection / reflex of any facial expression used by the speaker may be a sign
of careful listening. These reflective expressions can help show sympathy in more emotional
situations. The attempt to imitate facial expressions (ie, do not automatically reflect
expressions) can be a sign of ignorance.

Distraction
The active listener will not be distracted and will abstain from twisting, looking at the time or
scribbling, playing with hair or fiddling with stationery.
Verbal signals of attentive or active listening
Positive reinforcement
Caution should be used when using positive verbal reinforcements.
Some positive words of encouragement are beneficial to the speaker, the listener should use
them sparingly to avoid being distracted by what is being said or to give an unnecessary
emphasis to specific parts of the speech.
Frequent use of words and phrases such as "very good", "agreed" or "I understand" can
irritate the speaker. In general, it is better to explain why you agree or disagree with a certain
point.

Remembering
The human mind is under equipped for remembering details and is incapable to do so for long
periods of time.
However, remembering some core points, or basic idea, can help to reinforce the fact that the
messages sent were received and understood. Recalling details, ideas and concepts of
previous conversations shows that attention has been maintained and it is likely to encourage
the speaker to continue. During longer exchanges, it may be appropriate to make very short
notes to act as a trot of memory when questioned or clarified later.
It is important to recognize that taking notes should act as a distraction from listening
carefully to what the speaker is saying. Taking effective notes involves listening as you write
down the key points that will be important later: in a business meeting this may include
action points that you accepted to participate for; This can include new words or theories that
you can look into later.

Interrogation
The listener can demonstrate that he has paid attention by asking questions and making
statements that help clarify what the speaker said. By asking pertinent questions, the listeners
also communicate their interest in what the speaker has been saying.
Gathering information is a routine human activity: information is used to learn, to solve
problems, aide our decision-making processes and to understand each other more deeply.
Interrogation is the key to getting more information, and without it interpersonal
communications may fail. Interrogation is essential for successful communication and must
be put across.
Reflection
To reflect is to repeat clearly or to paraphrase what the speaker said to demonstrate
understanding. Reflection is a powerful skill that can reinforce the speaker's message and
show understanding. If you want to increase your concentration level in what the speaker is
saying, then you should try to mentally repeat the speaker's words as you say them; This will
establish their message in your mind and help you stay better focused.
What is reflecting?
Reflecting is the process of paraphrasing and reaffirming in a concise manner, both the
feelings and the words of the speech delivered. The motives of reflection are:
• Allow the speaker to "listen" to their thoughts and pay attention to what they say and hear.
• Show the speaker that the listener is trying to perceive the speech as he sees gets it and that
he is doing all he can to understand the message.
• Encourage the speaker to keep talking.
Reflecting does not mean presenting a new topic or directing the conversation in another
direction. The speakers are to be helped by reflection, as it not only allows them to feel
understood, but also gives them the opportunity to expand their ideas. This helps them to
direct their thoughts and encourages them to keep talking.

Clarification
The clarification requires asking questions to the speakers to make sure that the correct
message has been delivered. The clarification usually involves the use of open-ended
questions that allow the speaker to expand specific points if needed.
As an extension of reflection, clarification assures the speaker that the listener is trying to
understand the intent of the speech.
The clarification can include questions or can occasionally summarize what the speaker said.
A listener can ask for clarification when he fails to connect to the speaker. Sometimes, the
messages that a speaker is trying to send can be very complex and involve many people,
problems, places and different times. Clarifying helps to set them straight and also to verify
the intentions of the speaker.
Through clarification, it is possible that the speaker and listener understand these often
complicated inter linked problems. Clarification displays authenticity on the part of the
listener and shows to the speakers that the listener is interested in them and what they put
across.
Synthesis
Repeating a summary of what has been said to the speaker is a method used by the listener to
repeat what has been said in his own words. Summing up involves taking the main points of
the message received and reciting them in a clear way, giving the speaker the opportunity to
correct if needed.
 Chapter 3
When working with Millennials
Most of the time we listen to ourselves selfishly. We listen- only waiting for an opportunity
to speak out our mind, sometimes it is in the form of accepting what is being said,
neutralizing it or simply twisting the words into our favour. This is not a wise approach with
this generation.
Managers and senior management avoid having too many millennial energies in their
organizations, not realising that they are the future. They need to be heard and consulted. One
of the ways to work better with your youth and take make use of their talent to improve an
organization is by actively listening to them.
Young people believe that their ideas and opinions are as qualified, important and significant
as everyone else’s. They don’t say that they are always ‘right’, they give respect and expect
the same in return. This is called, in postmodern terms, the death of meta-narratives and the
coming up of micro-narratives. Understanding this idea will help understand why the youth
believes that they need to be heard.
Postmodernity is the worldview that the Millennials have taught: it is the lens through which
they see the world. Postmodernity is publishing the modern; a rejection of many things that
the young people taught in the last part of their adolescence and up to twenty years. The ideas
were rejected because they simply did not coincide with reality. It has to do with ideas like
"who has the truth", "what is the truth", hierarchy and authority, things that have an impact on
their management day after day.
Meta-narratives are a key idea of post-modern thought. They are great universal narratives
that explain the history of the world: think of communism or free market capitalism in its
heyday. In the 80s, for example, the metanarrative was socialism vs. Communism. But today
the metanarratives no longer receive the credibility they once had. Too often they were not as
real as they proclaimed.
Micro-narratives are seen as realities by post-modernists. These are small local stories based
on human experience. These stories are yours; they are those that the postmodernists have
personally experienced. The end result is a knowledge base that is considered as valuable as
its followers. It is "a multiplicity of theoretical points of view". Micro narratives encourage
dialogue. Ultimately, they create debate. There is no longer an explanation; Every person has
a valid opinion.1
When they listen, senior managers tend to listen primarily to their direct relationships. This
approach works well enough in a stable world. However, our world is in turbulent times.

1
https://www.forbes.com/sites/karlmoore/2014/07/08/working-with-millennials-why-you-need-to-listen-
more-and-talk-less/#20210fa0476f
Executable files need to reach the entire organization to get a broader view of operations and
get cutting-edge innovations. The truth is that "truth" does not lie higher.
All members of the organization have something valuable to contribute, especially
postmodernism. They are some of the most ambitious people you will find. Like the wizards
of digital age technology, they are the generation that many companies try to sell. They gave
your product or service a lot of creative thinking. Why not consult them? An executive who
consults a young person for advice is considered invaluable by the Millennials. It is the last
sign of respect.
In simple terms, postmoderns are the future of innovation. Capable of absorbing information
at a faster rate than any other modern, analysing situations with a combination of current
knowledge and acquired information, as opposed to professional experience.
As we already know, young people have voices. Their thoughts may not be as clear as their
managers, but their ideas are more innovative. Your new bunch of young minds is mature and
malleable. The endless years of service have not closed their minds to new approaches. They
do not fully understand the culture of the sector, but this is irrelevant. More and more often
we listen to people who claim that they want people with no experience in the industry to
bring new perspectives, allowing you to "shake the boat" of an industry and recreate a sector.
The main advice to exploit the talents and qualities of your young people to adapt to your
organization is to listen more, talk less. The young are mature. They appreciate the time they
have received. They recognize that their ideas could be a bit "out there". However, they want
you to know that they are thinkers.

Researcher Christine Riordan of the University of Kentucky in a Harvard Business Review

publication describes three sets of behaviours that enable successful active listening.
Research has linked several notable behaviour sets with empathic listening.

The first behaviour set involves recognizing all verbal and nonverbal cues, including tone,
facial expressions, and other body language. In short, leaders receive information by all senses
and not just hearing. Sensitive leaders pay attention to what others are not saying and probe a
bit deeper. They also understand how others are feeling and acknowledge those
feelings. Sample phrases include the following: Thank you for sharing how you feel about this
situation, it is important to understand where everyone is coming from on the issue; Would you
share a bit more on your thoughts on this situation; You seem excited (happy, upset…) about
this situation, and I would like to hear more about your perspective.

The second set of empathic listening behaviours is processing, which includes the behaviours
we most commonly associate with listening. It involves understanding the meaning of the
messages and keeping track of the points of the conversation. Leaders who are effective at
processing assure others that they are remembering what others say, summarize points of
agreement and disagreement, and capture global themes and key messages from the
conversation. Sample phrases might include the following: Here are a couple of key points
that I heard from this meeting; here are our points of agreement and disagreement; here are a
few more pieces of information we should gather; here are some suggested next steps—what
do you think?
The third set of behaviours, responding, involves assuring others that listening has occurred
and encouraging communication to continue. Leaders who are effective responders give
appropriate replies through verbal acknowledgements, deep and clarifying questioning, or
paraphrasing. Important non-verbal behaviours include facial expressions, eye contact, and
body language. Other effective responses might include head nods, full engagement in the
conversation, and the use of acknowledging phrases such as ‘That is a great point.’

Overall, it is important for leaders to recognize the multidimensionality of empathetic listening

and engage in all forms of behaviours. Among its benefits, empathic listening builds trust and
respect, enables people to reveal their emotions–including tensions, facilitates openness of
information sharing, and creates an environment that encourages collaborative problem-
solving.2

Whether to become a more connected and involved leader with Millennials, or to promote more
innovations, older people should learn to listen more effectively. What Millennials know is
how to think. They need to be given only the missing pieces. Postmodernists are eager to please,
especially when they are consulted directly. All senior managers need is confidence in their
abilities and listen more and talk less.

Chapter 4
Teachers and students
Teachers need to available to the students when they feel stuck. If teachers do not pay honest
respect to a student’s enquiry, it is easily decipherable from their expressions and this
demotivates the student to pursue the enquiry further to satisfaction. Being approachable and
understanding are the qualities by which a teacher earns respect.
Some teachers have a habit of throwing their knowledge in the face of students. Neither is this
approach appreciated nor is it useful. The student eventually begins to resent coming to that
teacher’s class since it then becomes an exercise in futility rather than a meaningful and
intellectual engagement.
The problem seems basic, the solution however is not an easy one. The issue is fundamentally
of a teacher’s character, which is something that is extremely difficult to change or improve.
Some people naturally have a conducive personality, which is pleasing as well as moderately
controlling at the same time. It makes complete sense why students are collaborative with some
teachers while disruptive with others. If students feel involved and respected in a teacher’s
class, it is natural for them to maintain decorum so that the teaching process goes on fluently.
Some teachers on the other hand are perpetually greeted with noisy classrooms- the reason is

2
https://hbr.org/2014/01/three-ways-leaders-can-listen-with-more-empathy
simple, no student wants monologues from a person who they feel fails to make a connection
and devalues their worth.

Conclusion
Passive listening is just little more than hearing. Passive listener listens without reacting: it
makes people speak without feedback. The listener is not necessarily paying attention to what
is being said. Passive listening is a one-way communication in which the recipient does not
provide feedback or ask questions and may or may not understand the sender's message.
Active listening includes answers that show that you understand what the other person is trying
to tell you about their experience. This is a very different communication technique from
passive or unfocused listening that we often adopt in everyday conversations.
When you faithfully show a person your response to what has been said, it conveys that you
have not just listened to them and that you truly understand the feelings or messages they are
trying to convey. This creates an environment that allows the speaker to deepen and, at times,
reach new realizations. It is the basis of trust and respect
Active listening is a conscious effort that requires empathy, commitment, attention and a lot of
practice.

Bibliography:
1. https://hbr.org/
2. https://forbes.com
3. https://teaching.uchicago.edu
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
5. http://open.lib.umn.edu