listening

Prof. Anupama TiwariProf. Anupama Tiwari

Importance of listening Importance of listening in a in a workplaceworkplace


What is listening?What is listening?

A process in which spoken language A process in which spoken language is decoded in the mind.is decoded in the mind.

Definition: Thomlison's (1984) Definition: Thomlison's (1984)

Listening is a complex process—an integral part Listening is a complex process—an integral part of the total communication process, albeit a part of the total communication process, albeit a part

often ignored.often ignored.


Hearing is passive and listening is Hearing is passive and listening is active.active.

“ “the act of hearing attentively is the act of hearing attentively is listening”listening”

Hearing is merely the ability of ear Hearing is merely the ability of ear to sense sounds around one, but, to sense sounds around one, but, listening is more of conscious effort listening is more of conscious effort to interpret the sounds, requiring to interpret the sounds, requiring concentration of mind. concentration of mind.

You may ‘hear' a lecture and may You may ‘hear' a lecture and may be not be ‘listening’ to a lecture. be not be ‘listening’ to a lecture.


"Listening," therefore, is an act of "Listening," therefore, is an act of will. "Hearing" can simply happen will. "Hearing" can simply happen without desire or intention or interest without desire or intention or interest or preference.or preference.

"Listening" is emotional. "Hearing" is "Listening" is emotional. "Hearing" is passionless.passionless.

"Listening" means getting deep in the "Listening" means getting deep in the experience. "Hearing" means never experience. "Hearing" means never getting beyond the glossy exterior.getting beyond the glossy exterior.

"Listening" means listeners will seek "Listening" means listeners will seek out programming. "Hearing" means out programming. "Hearing" means the programming has to seek out the the programming has to seek out the listener.listener.


"Listening" means you tune in specifically "Listening" means you tune in specifically for something. "Hearing" means you're for something. "Hearing" means you're listening in part to avoid something listening in part to avoid something

Listening" means marketing can be brand-Listening" means marketing can be brand-building and strategic. "Hearing" means building and strategic. "Hearing" means marketing is mostly tactical, moving marketing is mostly tactical, moving listeners from station to station for a time. listeners from station to station for a time.

For "hearers" just doing marketing is more For "hearers" just doing marketing is more important than what the marketing important than what the marketing demands of you. demands of you. It's the impact that It's the impact that matters more than the message.matters more than the message.


definitionsdefinitions The process whereby the human ear The process whereby the human ear

receives sound stimuli from other receives sound stimuli from other people and through a series of steps, people and through a series of steps, interprets the sound stimuli in the interprets the sound stimuli in the brain and remembers it.brain and remembers it.

It can also be defined as a three It can also be defined as a three phase intrapersonal process that phase intrapersonal process that involves signal receiving [related to involves signal receiving [related to hearing], literal hearing], literal processing[ determining meaning], processing[ determining meaning], and reflective processing[ critical and reflective processing[ critical analysis and appreciation]analysis and appreciation]


Types of listeningTypes of listening Discriminative listening: Discriminative listening: difference difference

between sounds is identifiedbetween sounds is identified Comprehensive listening: Comprehensive listening:

understanding meaningunderstanding meaning Evaluative listening: Evaluative listening: to make opinions to make opinions

and judgments about what is spokenand judgments about what is spoken Selective listening: Selective listening: when attention is when attention is

paid only to selective informationpaid only to selective information Empathetic listening: Empathetic listening: understanding understanding

the feelings behind the person’s wordsthe feelings behind the person’s words


Dialogic listening: Dialogic listening: listener continuously listener continuously interacts and seeks clarificationinteracts and seeks clarification

Therapeutic listening: Therapeutic listening: after after empathizing with the speaker help him empathizing with the speaker help him developdevelop

Therapeutic listening is a special type of Therapeutic listening is a special type of relationship listening. relationship listening.

Therapeutic listening brings to mind Therapeutic listening brings to mind situations where counselors, medical situations where counselors, medical personnel, or other professionals allow a personnel, or other professionals allow a troubled person to talk through a problem. troubled person to talk through a problem.

But it can also be used by managers when But it can also be used by managers when they listen to peers and subordinates or they listen to peers and subordinates or clients and allow them to “get things off clients and allow them to “get things off their chests.” their chests.”


Informative ListeningInformative Listening Informative listening is the name we give to the Informative listening is the name we give to the

situation where the listener’s primary concern is to situation where the listener’s primary concern is to understand the message. Listeners are successful understand the message. Listeners are successful insofar as the meaning they assign to messages is insofar as the meaning they assign to messages is as close as possible to that which the sender as close as possible to that which the sender intended.intended.

Informative listening, or listening to understand, is Informative listening, or listening to understand, is found in all areas of our lives. Much of our learning found in all areas of our lives. Much of our learning comes from informative listening. For example, we comes from informative listening. For example, we listen to lectures or instructions from teachers—listen to lectures or instructions from teachers—and what we learn depends on how well we listen. and what we learn depends on how well we listen. In the workplace, we listen to understand new In the workplace, we listen to understand new practices or procedures—and how well we perform practices or procedures—and how well we perform depends on how well we listen. We listen to depends on how well we listen. We listen to instructions, briefings, reports, and speeches; if we instructions, briefings, reports, and speeches; if we listen poorly, we aren’t equipped with the listen poorly, we aren’t equipped with the information we need.information we need.


Appreciative listeningAppreciative listening

Appreciative listening includes Appreciative listening includes listening to music for enjoyment, to listening to music for enjoyment, to speakers because you like their style, speakers because you like their style, to your choices in theater, television, to your choices in theater, television, radio, or film. It is the response of the radio, or film. It is the response of the listener, not the source of the listener, not the source of the message, that defines appreciative message, that defines appreciative listening listening


Barriers/obstacles to listeningBarriers/obstacles to listening Physiological barriersPhysiological barriers Physical barriersPhysical barriers Attitude barriersAttitude barriers Assumption barriers: assuming that Assumption barriers: assuming that

listener is not responsible for effectivenesslistener is not responsible for effectiveness Cultural barriersCultural barriers Gender barriersGender barriers Lack of trainingLack of training Individual listening habits: bad listeners, Individual listening habits: bad listeners,

lack of attention, faking attention, avoid lack of attention, faking attention, avoid difficult part, etc.difficult part, etc.


Strategies for effective listeningStrategies for effective listening Creating a conducive environment: Creating a conducive environment:

proper acoustics and shutting off proper acoustics and shutting off physical noises, mobile phones etc.physical noises, mobile phones etc.

Opt for face to face channelOpt for face to face channel Open mindednessOpen mindedness Avoid distractionsAvoid distractions Communicate as a listener with non Communicate as a listener with non

verbal waysverbal ways Communicate as a listener with your Communicate as a listener with your

verbal ways verbal ways


Be patient listener and do not Be patient listener and do not respond till you listen completelyrespond till you listen completely

Understand also the nonverbal ways Understand also the nonverbal ways along with the words of the speakeralong with the words of the speaker

Good listeners focus on content and Good listeners focus on content and not deliverynot delivery

Be curious to know more rather than Be curious to know more rather than being content with what you knowbeing content with what you know

Develop willingness to accept others Develop willingness to accept others ideasideas


Listening for business Listening for business Listening to customers: Listening to customers:

believe in the customerbelieve in the customer

listen activelylisten actively

apologizeapologize

satisfysatisfy ““Active listening," goes beyond comprehending Active listening," goes beyond comprehending

literally to an empathetic understanding of the literally to an empathetic understanding of the speaker. speaker.


That’s it!!!That’s it!!!

listening

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anupama tiwari

anupama tiwariprof

informative

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listening

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