ListeningIt is said that we are given two ears and one mouth because listening is twice as difficult as talking. Whether you agree or disagree with that statement, there is no doubt that many communication breakdowns happen as a result of not listening. Le't's consider this lesson on listening and gauge our listening faults, seek to correct deficiencies, and gain some practical strategies to become better listeners.
Barriers to Communication1. Jumping to Conclusions
Oftentimes, instead of listening, we interpret facts and happenings on what we expect them to be. In our listening we skip statements of fact and instead make statements of Inference. Then, we behave on the basis of our inference rather than on the fact. 2. Loss of Information We loose information much of the time in communicating. To reduce the loss of information, practice the following: 1. Give details in order; 2. Slow down; 3. Use sketches or visual aids; 4. Ask questions; re-state the information; 5. Give a quick overview of what has been communicated. 3. Listening Only to Words We assume that words contain the meaning of what the speaker says and that the speaker is using the words the same way we would. Words are code that have both a denotation and a connotation. Meaning is found in people, not in words. To influence a person, one must know how the person thinks. Also, one must pay close attention to the nonverbal messages. Which One Are You?
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Listening Strategies
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Videos on Listening
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