chapter 4: are you listening?

Chapter 4:Are you Listening?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d5T6D4ZwHw

What is listening?

Hearing vs Listening Hearing –

Process in which sound waves strike the eardrum and cause vibrations that are then transmitted to the brain

Listening- Process which occurs when the brain reconstructs

these impulses and gives them meaning

What do we need to know about listening?

Listening is an Active Process Listening occupies more of our

communication time than speaking, writing, or reading

not a natural process

Is a learned skill

Requires effort

Four Parts of the Listening Process Attending Understanding Responding = verbally or nonverbally Remembering

Serial Communication

We only remember 50% of the information we listen to immediately after we hear it.

We only remember 35% after 8 hours.

We only remember 25% of this information after 2 ½ months.

Residual Messages

What causes poor listening?

General Listening Errors Hearing Problem Lack of effort Message overload Rapid Thought – mental spare time Noise (physical, psychological, physiological) Cultural Influences –

Things such as media have programmed us to listen in brief soundbites

Faulty Listening Behaviors Pseudolisteners-

Make appropriate gestures but not really listening

Selective listeners Only hear what they are interested in

Defensive listeners Take innocent comments as personal attacks

Faulty Listening Behaviors Insensitive listeners

Don’t look beyond the words

Stage Hogs Turn the conversation back to themselves

How can we listen more effectively?

Listen mentally

Listen physically

Know your goal

Listen Mentally Concentrate on the meaning of what is being

said rather than the precise words or mechanics (accent, grammar, etc.)

Work with the speech-thought differential 120-150 wpm is the average speech rate 500-600 wpm is the average thinking rate Use the time to summarize and paraphrase

Listen Physically Face the person

Adopt an open posture

Maintain comfortable eye contact

Lean slightly towards person

Listen to only one person at a time

Know Your Goal Informational

Understanding and retaining information

Critical Analyzing and evaluating content

Supportive Helping others

Informational Listening Paraphrase-

Put ideas in your own words

Look for key ideas

Take notes

Be opportunistic FIND SOMETHING to learn

Critical Listening Listen BEFORE evaluating

Evaluate the speaker’s Credibility (Ethos) Evidence and Reasoning (logos) Emotional Appeals (pathos)

Supportive Listening Also known as Active Listening Feedback is the most important aspect.

Types of Feedback

Non-evaluative Questioning/ probing (ask for more questions)

Supporting = show the person you care

Prompting = use silence or brief statements to draw the person out

Paraphrasing Put message into your own words Repeat the message making statement more general of

specific

Evaluative – advising/judging

Positive = Is it accurate and appropriate?

Negative= Is it constructive, wanted? What are your motives?

Formative = Is it the best time to give negative feedback?