Chapter 7 Listening 1 Listening More than Meets

Chapter 7: Listening 1

Listening: More than Meets the Ear åListening • Listening is the most frequent form of communication. • Listening has been identified as one of the most necessary skills in the business world. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition FIGURE 7. 1 Page 234 2

Listening Defined åHearing vs. Listening • Hearing • The process of sound waves striking the eardrum and causing vibrations • Listening • Occurs when the brain reconstructs these electrochemical impulses and then gives them meaning • You can hear without listening. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 3

Listening Defined åHearing vs. Listening • Mindless Listening • Occurs when we react to others messages automatically • Though the term mindless may sound negative, this type of low level processing allows our brains to focus on greater tasks. • Mindful Listening • Involves giving careful and thoughtful attention to the messages we receive • Sometimes we respond mindlessly to information that needs our mindful attention Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 4

The Listening Process åThe Listening Process • The Five Steps of the Listening Process are: 1. Hearing 2. Attending 3. Understanding 4. Responding 5. Remembering Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 5

The Listening Process åHearing • The physical process of the reverberation of sounds • Hearing is influenced by many factors: • Fatigue • Temporary hearing loss • More than 13 million people communicate with some sort of hearing impairment. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 6

The Listening Process åAttending • The psychological process of selecting what gets through • We would go crazy if we attempted to attend to every message. • Needs, wants, desires and interests determine what is attended to. • Research shows that we pay closer attention to those messages we’re interested in. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 7

The Listening Process åResponding • Consists of giving the speaker observable feedback • Good listeners show they’re attentive through nonverbal gestures, such as eye contact and nodding. • Listening is not a passive activity. • We send messages at the same time we receive them. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 8

The Listening Process åRemembering • The ability to recall information • Remember 50% of what we hear immediately after hearing it • Remember 35% within 8 hours • Remember 25% of the original message after two months • Residual Message • What we remember from the original message • There are ways to improve your retention. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 9

The Challenge of Listening åTypes of Ineffective Listening • Pseudolistening • An imitation of the listening process • Pseudolisteners give the appearance of being attentive. • Pseudolistening can often take more energy than real listening. • Stage-hogging • Turning the conversation to yourself • Also known as “one-uppers” • “You think your class is tough, let me tell you about mine. ” Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 10

The Challenge of Listening åTypes of Ineffective Listening • Selective Listening • Responding only to parts that are of interest to you • Selective listening can be legitimate: • Commercials • Insulated Listening • Avoiding information • When a topic arises that the insulated listener doesn’t want to hear, the listener simply avoids it all together. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 11

The Challenge of Listening åTypes of Ineffective Listening • Defensive Listening • Taking another’s remarks as personal attacks • Ambushing • The listener who pays close attention but only to collect information they’ll use against you in an attack later • Insensitive Listening • Responding to the superficial content and not the emotional Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 12

The Challenge of Listening åWhy We Don’t Listen Better • Message Overload • The amount of speech encountered makes it nearly impossible to listen carefully to everything. • Preoccupation • Personal concerns tend to take precedence. • It’s difficult to listen when you’re worried about other things. • Rapid Thought • We’re capable of understanding 600 words per minute. • The average person speaks 100 -150 words per minute. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 13

The Challenge of Listening åWhy We Don’t Listen Better • Effort • Listening is hard work. • If you’re tired, listening can be problematic. • External Noise • Outside distractions can be difficult to ignore. • Even temperature can be a cause of poor listening. • Faulty Assumptions • We tend to believe we’re listening attentively when we’re not. • When a subject is familiar it is easy to tune out. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 14

The Challenge of Listening åWhy We Don’t Listen Better • Lack of Apparent Advantages • Though not true, it seems that there is more to gain by speaking rather than listening. • Hearing Problems • Physical problems can disrupt the listening process. • Media Influence • Influence of the media also plays a role in our listening habits. • Short segments included in television (CNN, MTV, Adult Swim) are cause for shorter attention spans. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 15

The Challenge of Listening åWhy We Don’t Listen Better • Lack of Training • Believing you’re a good listener does not mean you are. • Listening takes practice. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 16

Types of Listening Responses åPrompting Pablo: Julie’s dad is selling a complete computer system for only $600, but if I want it I have to buy it now. He’s got another interested buyer. It’s a great deal. But buying it would wipe out my savings. At the rate I spend money, it would take me a year to save up this much again. Tim: Uh-huh. (Prompting) Pablo: I wouldn’t be able to take that ski trip over winter break. . . but I sure could save time with my schoolwork. . . and do a better job, too. Tim: That’s for sure. (Prompting) Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 17

Types of Listening Responses åQuestioning • Sincere Questions • Are aimed at understanding others • Counterfeit Questions • Are aimed at sending a message, not receiving one • Examples: • Questions that trap the speaker • Questions that make a statement • Questions that carry a hidden agenda • Questions based on unchecked assumptions Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 18

Types of Listening Responses åParaphrasing • A summary of what you think the speaker is saying Speaker: I’d like to go, but I can’t afford it. Paraphrasing: So if we could find a way to pay for you, you’d be willing come. Is that right? • Two Levels 1. Paraphrase Factual Information 2. Paraphrase Personal Information Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 19

Types of Listening Responses åParaphrasing • Several factors to consider before paraphrasing • Is the issue complex enough? • Do you have the necessary time and concern? • Can you withhold judgment? • Is your paraphrasing in proportion to other responses? Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 20

Types of Listening Responses åSupporting • You’re probably not being supportive if. . . • You deny others the right to their feelings • You minimize the significance of the situation • You focus on “then and there” rather than the “hear and now” • You cast judgment • You defend yourself Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 21

Types of Listening Responses åAnalyzing • A listener offers interpretation of the speaker’s comments • Guidelines to follow: • Offer you interpretation as tentative rather than factual. • Your analysis ought to have a reasonable chance of being correct. • Be sure that the other person will be receptive. • Be sure your motive is to help the other person. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 22

Types of Listening Responses åAdvising • Offering the speaker our opinion on solving the problem • Before advising be sure four conditions are present: • Be confident that the advice is accurate. • Ask yourself if the person seeking your advice will accept it. • Be confident that the receiver won’t blame you if it doesn’t work. • Deliver your advice supportively, in a face saving manner. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 23

Types of Listening Responses åJudging • A judging response evaluates the speaker's behavior • Constructive Criticism • Use to help the problem-holder improve in the future • Judgments are best received when two conditions exist: • The person with the problem requests your help • The intent of you judgment is genuinely constructive and not designed as a put-down. Looking Out, Looking In 12 th Edition 24