Succeed by Succeed by ListeningListening

Discussion Session #73Discussion Session #73

Jen AlexanderJen Alexander

TimeTime and and moneymoney are are both both wasted by wasted by poor poor listening!listening!

HearingHearing is a is a naturalnatural process!process!

~~~Listening is altogether different~~~Listening is altogether different..

Steps to Better Steps to Better ListeningListening

Make eye Make eye contact! contact!

--This is very important --This is very important to show you have to show you have interest in what is interest in what is being said!being said!

Sit in a Listening Sit in a Listening Posture!Posture!

This also shows thatThis also shows thatyou are attentive you are attentive

andandinterested in what interested in what

thethespeaker is saying tospeaker is saying toyou.you.

Avoid talking!Avoid talking!

This includes interrupting or This includes interrupting or discussing the speaker’s ideas with discussing the speaker’s ideas with your neighbor while the speaker is your neighbor while the speaker is

talking. talking.

Listen first; judge Listen first; judge later.later.

Hear all the speaker has to say before Hear all the speaker has to say before deciding. deciding.

Think about what the speaker is Think about what the speaker is saying, saying, notnot what you want to what you want to

say next.say next.

(Jot down your ideas so that you can give (Jot down your ideas so that you can give 100% attention to the speaker without 100% attention to the speaker without

forgetting your idea.) forgetting your idea.)

Stay focused!Stay focused!

Avoid preoccupation, daydreaming, planningAvoid preoccupation, daydreaming, planningyour weekend, etc. your weekend, etc.

Take notes on what the speaker is Take notes on what the speaker is saying.saying.

(This method helps override boredom and(This method helps override boredom anddaydreaming.) daydreaming.)

Regularly summarize what the speaker has already said. What are his main

points?

Listen "between the Listen "between the lines."lines."

• Is there anything the speaker is Is there anything the speaker is hinting at but not actually saying? hinting at but not actually saying?

• Watch body language and gestures. Watch body language and gestures.

Listen to what the speaker Listen to what the speaker actually says.actually says.

Avoid hearing what you expect to Avoid hearing what you expect to hear. Don’t finish the speaker’s hear. Don’t finish the speaker’s sentences in your imagination. sentences in your imagination.

What kind of a listener are What kind of a listener are you?you?

The levels of listeningThe levels of listening• Level 1 - Level 1 - Quiet, PassiveQuiet, Passive

– Day dreamingDay dreaming– InattentiveInattentive– Letting your mind wanderLetting your mind wander– Paying attention only occasionallyPaying attention only occasionally– ““Fault-finding” listeningFault-finding” listening

Efficiency rate of only about 5%Efficiency rate of only about 5%

The levels of listeningThe levels of listening• Level 2 – False CommunicationLevel 2 – False Communication

– Both speaker and listener believe Both speaker and listener believe communication is taking place – but it communication is taking place – but it really isn’treally isn’t

– Hearing, not listeningHearing, not listening– ““Semantic barrier” – ignores non-verbalsSemantic barrier” – ignores non-verbals

The levels of listeningThe levels of listening• Level 3 – Active ListeningLevel 3 – Active Listening

– EmpatheticEmpathetic– Gets the whole messageGets the whole message– Thorough understanding of the speakerThorough understanding of the speaker– You listen objectively and calmlyYou listen objectively and calmly

All of us listen in all three of All of us listen in all three of the levels…..the levels…..

•Most people spend 35% of their listening time at Level 1

•65% of our listening time is spent at Level 2 or 3

What makes a good What makes a good listener?listener?

• They listen for ideas, not just factsThey listen for ideas, not just facts• They want to learn, and they sum up They want to learn, and they sum up

what they’re learningwhat they’re learning• They want to improve their listening They want to improve their listening

skillsskills• They are working at listening all the They are working at listening all the

timetime

Ways to improve your Ways to improve your listening skills:listening skills:

• Work at listening – do some studyingWork at listening – do some studying• Take the initiativeTake the initiative• Pay attention to ideasPay attention to ideas• Look for non-verbals – body Look for non-verbals – body

language, facial expressionslanguage, facial expressions• Use the messageUse the message

Ways to improve your Ways to improve your listening skills:listening skills:

• Sum it upSum it up• Take notesTake notes• Ignore emotional wordsIgnore emotional words• Don’t be distractedDon’t be distracted• PracticePractice

PracticePractice is the only is the only way to become a way to become a

good listener!good listener!

We can speak 200 words We can speak 200 words per minute…..per minute…..

…….We can listen to .We can listen to 300 – 500 words per minute300 – 500 words per minute

Important Words to Listen Important Words to Listen toto

• There are people who, instead of listening to what is being There are people who, instead of listening to what is being said to them, are already listening to what they are going to said to them, are already listening to what they are going to say themselves. say themselves.

Albert Guinon (1863 - 1923) Albert Guinon (1863 - 1923)

• When people talk, listen completely. Most people never When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen. listen.

Ernest Hemingway (1899 - 1961)Ernest Hemingway (1899 - 1961)

• No man ever listened himself out of a job. No man ever listened himself out of a job.

Calvin Coolidge (1872 - 1933)Calvin Coolidge (1872 - 1933)

Works CitedWorks Cited• Ten Steps to better listening: Ten Steps to better listening:

McCallie OnlineMcCallie Online• Succeed by Listening Succeed by Listening

Evaluation QuestionsEvaluation QuestionsUse:Use:A.A. Strongly agreeStrongly agreeB.B. AgreeAgreeC.C. DisagreeDisagreeD.D. Strongly disagreeStrongly disagreeE.E. Don’t knowDon’t know

1.1. I found the presentation of material easy to understand.I found the presentation of material easy to understand.2.2. This Advantage session increased my knowledge on the This Advantage session increased my knowledge on the

subject presented.subject presented.3.3. I will be able to use some of the information from this I will be able to use some of the information from this

Advantage session in the future.Advantage session in the future.4.4. The presenter was well prepared for this Advantage session.The presenter was well prepared for this Advantage session.5.5. This presentation should be repeated in future semesters.This presentation should be repeated in future semesters.