Listening Skill
Why do we need good listening skill?
In 1991 the United States Department of Labor Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills identified five competencies and three foundation skills that are essential . Listening skill was among them.
The ability to listen carefully will allow you to:
1. Better understand assignments and what is expected of you.
2. Build rapport with clients, associates, co-workers, bosses, employees.
3. Show your support.
4. Work better as a team player.
5. Resolve problems with anyone.
6. Answer questions.
7. Find underlying meanings in what others are saying.
Tips for listening and not just hearing
Listen to what they are saying now and then tell someone what was said later. Speaking out loud what you have heard and processed helps you remember. This also helps you find out what you were not clear about.
Focus on who or what is being said. Develop an interest in the person or topic and concentrate on it.
Be present, do not daydream or let yourself get distracted.
Sit in a attentive posture, nod in acknowledgment, make eye contact, convey a positive encouraging attitude.
Do not let words, issues, situations, personalities set you off. If you prejudge based on any of these, you will certainly shut down your listening mechanism.
Listening barriers
Bias or prejudice
Language differences or accents
Thinking in advance you think you know what they are going to say
Twisting what they are saying into what you wish them to say
Noise
Worry , fear or anger
Lack of attention span
“Nothing feels so good as being understood, not evaluated or judged. When I try to share some feeling aspect of myself and my communication is met with evaluation, reassurance, distortion of my meaning, I know what it is to be alone.” (Carl Rogers, psychologist)
References
Bone, Diane The Business of Listening
Crisp Publications, Inc. 1988
Utah State University Academic Resource Center
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