COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Sanjay Kumar, Currently Associate Professor of

English at JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU), Jaipur

Pushp Lata, Currently Head, Department of Languages,

BITS, Pilani

Oxford University Press 2011

Chapter: 9
Developing Effective Listening Skills

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Learning Objectives
To understand how listening is different from hearing. To learn about the different types of listening so that you can use them effectively, as and when required. To identify the major causes of poor listening. To know the various techniques to improve your listening skills.

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Example
Rose, Siddhartha, Ishita, and Dushyant attended an expert lecture on Soft Skills for Entrepreneurs delivered by Paul Kimura, a management guru. While talking about the role of IQ and EQ he said, IQ represents abstract intelligence which gets the entrepreneurs started, whereas EQ helps them become successful. After the lecture, Ishita shared the idea that the statement is applicable in every field of life. Siddhartha endorsed the idea and told them that besides IQ and EQ, HQ is also becoming very essential, and he referred to an article that he had read in the open page of The Hindu sometime back. Rose remarked that she had found the lecture quite boring, and that she had in fact dozed off for a while. Dushyant said, I do not even know what you are talking about.

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Contd
Ishita and Siddhartha shared ideas during seminar.

But Rose and Dushyant didnt participated.

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Listening: An Art
We spend more time listening than speaking. It is the most used skill, but we get little training in this. We are formally trained in other three language skills, namely speaking, reading, and writing. We utilize only 25 percent of our brain capacity while listening as compared to speaking. Consequently more interested in speaking.

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Why is It Important to Listen?

Failure to listen brings unfortunate results! Human beings want to express themselves, to be heard. Listening can de-escalate situations.

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VS

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Hearing
Any disturbance that strikes our eardrums in the form of pressure waves. Example Ex-truck passing by in front of house.

Listening
We pay attention to the meaning of what we hear.

Listening is consciously, actively, and systematically processing information

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Poor Listening
Either tries to blame the speaker or considers the subject to be dry. Gets distracted easily. Finds it difficult to listen to complex material; has the tendency to read light and recreational materials. Tends to enter into unnecessary arguments.

Effective Listening
Thinks and mentally summarizes, weighs the evidence, listens between the lines to the tone of voice and evidence. Fights against distractions and knows how to concentrate. Keeps listening on a regular basis; not averse to listening to matter which requires critical listening. Takes notes and organizes important information.

Resists new ideas.

Pays too much attention to appearance and delivery.

Listens for ideas.

Pays attention to the body language, tone, and style, along with the message being conveyed by the speaker.

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Advantages of Listening
Good listeners are better performers.

Good listening ability increases knowledge, develops critical thinking, and broadens opportunities.
Help us build effective relationships in our personal as well as professional life. It prevents miscommunication. Effective listening helps in sharing emotions, ideas, and experiences. Good listening also improves decision-making.
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Process of Listening
Sensing Recognizing Interpreting & Evaluating

Responding Remembering /Memorizing

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Types of Listening

Content
Analytical
Types of listening

Empatheti c

Appreciativ e
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Content Listening
Focus is on understanding the message sent by the speaker.

It is also known as informative listening.

Empathetic Listening
Understanding the speakers situation as an empathetic listener mostly in time of crisis. It is also known as therapeutic/relationship listening .

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Appreciative Listening
It is listening for pleasure or enjoyment. Example While listening music or watching movie we appreciate dialogue or lyrics

Analytical Listening
The purpose of this listening is two-fold. On one hand, you try to absorb the message and on the other, you attempt to analyze the ideas or facts and make critical judgment.

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Intensive Listening
Listening to a small amount of material a number of times When you listen, you concentrate and keep your mind focused on the text. For example, when you listen to a recorded lesson again and again, you may be able to acquire the correct pronunciation or intonation, or understand the hidden meaning of the text.

Extensive Listening
It gives you the opportunity to hear different voices and different styles. This also helps in developing effortless listening, since listeners listen to the ideas and opinions on a wide range of topics.

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Barriers to Effective Listening

Forged attention Premature evaluation of the subject matter and speaker Hard listening Poor interpersonal relations Over excitement Different language variety and accent Distractions Evade the difficult types Different levels of perception

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Five Steps to Effective Listening

Summarize what the speaker is saying. Take down notes.

Look the speaker in the eye as far as possible, or follow his/her movements

Link what you are listening to what you already know.

Ask and answer questions in your mind for clarity in your understanding

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Techniques for Effective Listening

1. To improve your listening skills, you should have an open mind. You should sit alert and look at the speaker with a view to establish your interest in him/her. 2. The effectiveness of listening generally depends on the intensity of the interest taken. So, take interest in the discussion or talk. 3. Do not prejudge the speaker, or his/her message, until you have listened to it completely. 4. Employ your critical thinking while you are listening.

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Techniques for Effective Listening

5. Stop talking and do not interrupt the speaker unnecessarily. 6. Observe the non-verbal clues of the speaker, as this will enable you to grasp the message completely. 7. Take advantage of the lag time that we get in terms of small pauses between two different ideas. 8. Ask relevant questions to yourself, so that you keep on track with the ideas presented by the speaker. 9. Take down notes or paraphrase the message in simple words. This will certainly enable you to grasp it quicker.

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Listening and Note Taking

Relate ideas to previous lectures, chapters etc. Listen to what is being said not how it is being said. Don't try to write down everything. Look for clues from the teacher/professor who indicates what he/she considers important. Try to restate the facts in your words and use abbreviations and one liners . If your instructor is going too fast or is unclear, say so. There is nothing wrong in asking your teacher to clarify a point. After the class is over, go through your notes as early as possible. This does not take very long, and in fact helps you contextualize the new information.

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If you really want to listen, you will act like a good listener. Good listeners are like good catchers because they give their speakers a target and then move that target to capture the information that is being sent.

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Thank You!!!

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