Listening skills

It involves:
Selection
Reception
Symbol/meaning interpretation

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 Barriers
Perceptual barriers
Speaker related barrier
Listener related barrier
Understanding of nonverbal clues
Environmental Distractions
General barriers
 Perceptual Barriers

Frames of reference
Experience and expectation
Relationship with the speaker
Selective perception (filter)
 General barriers
Perceive subject matter to be uninteresting
Know all attitude/rejection
Criticize the delivery or appearance of the speaker
Become too stimulated (developing counter
arguments to rebut the speaker)
Faking attention
Listening only for facts
Mental framework-yielding to distractions
Difficult topic or subject matter
 Techniques for listenings
Selection of listening mode-active/passive/selective
Concentration and thinking
Anticipate
Focus
Review
Interpretation
Note taking
Listen for sign post
Understand and not evaluate
 Techniques for listenings
Improve physical and psychological
setting
Practice retention listening

Use memory aids

Set priorities
Think
Reinforce
 Thinking skills for effective listening

Perceiving
Arranging
Reasoning
Inferring
Inquiring
 How to improve listening skills
Clarify meanings
Learn about others thoughts, feelings, and wants
Encourage elaboration
Encourage discovery
Gather more facts and details
Anticipate the speakers next point
Identify the supporting elements
Contd.

Do not assume you know what is meant

Ask for clarification with questions
Check your tone for sincerity.
Ask open-ended questions that allow for a
variety of responses.
 Parroting
Effective parroting
Repeat the facts
Share the thoughts and beliefs you heard
Convey underlying thoughts and feelings
you think are involved
Take your time

IMP: Be judicious!
 Show interest in the speaker and the
conversation by saying, Tell me more about
that or Keep going , I'm following you.
Don't give advice until after you have been
asked
Find the right balance between hearing, listening
and responding
Clear hurdles
 Improve your listening skills
Stop talking
Pay attention to purpose and content
Eliminate distractions
Listen for signposts
Take notes using shorthand or key words
Ask questions
Effective Parroting is a must
Follow up
Be flexible and observant
 ACTIVE LISTENING
1. Restating- repeat what you think the person said not by
parroting, but by paraphrasing what you heard in your own
words. For example, Lets see if Im clear about this. . .

2. Summarizing - Bring together the facts and pieces of the

problem to check understanding for example, So it sounds
to me as if . . . Or, Is that it?

3. Minimal encouragers - Use brief, positive prompts to keep

the conversation going and show you are listening for
example, umm-hmmm, Oh? I understand, Then? And?
 ACTIVE LISTENING
4. Giving feedback - Let the person know what your initial
thoughts are on the situation. Share pertinent information,
observations, insights, and experiences. Then listen carefully
to confirm.

5. Emotion labelling: Putting feelings into words will often help

a person to see things more objectively. To help the person
begin, use door openers for example, I sense that youre
feeling frustrated. . . worried. . . anxious. . .

6. Probing: Ask questions to draw the person out and get

deeper and more meaningful information for example,
What do you think would happen if you. . .?
 ACTIVE LISTENING
7. Validation - Acknowledge the individuals problems,
issues, and feelings. Listen openly and with empathy, and
respond in an interested way

8. Effective pause -Deliberately pause at key points for

emphasis. This will tell the person you are saying
something that is very important to them.
 ACTIVE LISTENING
9. Silence -Allow for comfortable silences to slow down the
exchange. Give a person time to think as well as talk.
Silence can also be very helpful in diffusing an unproductive
interaction.

10. I messages -By using I in your statements, you focus

on the problem not the person. An I-message lets the
person know what you feel and why for example, I know
you have a lot to say, but I need to. . .
 ACTIVE LISTENING

11. Redirecting -If someone is showing

signs of being overly aggressive, agitated,
or angry, this is the time to shift the
discussion to another topic.