To many, conducting direct communicative discourse with people is simple, straightforward and, for the most part, uncomplicated. However, in spite of the ubiquity of day-to-day communication, listening seems to be largely taken for granted. It is only when some form of breakdown in the process occurs that it is given appropriate attention.
Adeptness in listening demands awareness of the context of the communicative environment. It also requires conscious attention to the exercise. And just as in any acquired skill, spotting habits, isolating the weak points, and understanding how they occur are key to improving performance. Hence just as people in business are expected to be proficient speakers so are they looked upon to be competent in listeners.
Listening Barriers
People engaged in meaningful communication can avoid misunderstanding others if the following traps are heeded:
- Telegraphing the message. This suggests that person receiving the information is in a rebuttal mode while the other is still in the middle of delivering the message. The mental task is focused on thinking of what to say next as opposed to absorbing what the other person is saying.
- Evaluating thoughts. People who indulge in this process generally place themselves in a judgmental position; that is, conjuring up assessments of the speaker. This practice takes away from the facts as they are stated as well as their meaning.
- Adding things up. Summarizing the speaker's thoughts and ideas in the midst of a conversation may appear beneficial; but, looking closely one will find that it is just as detrimental as the previous two. This bottom-line listening tends to reduce the dialogue into condensed sound bites.
- Between-the-lines listening. This communicative practice steps beyond the spoken words and past the explicit messages being delivered. People skilled in this communication method "read" the unspoken words. They look for speech patterns, tonal elements, and bodily expressions when listening. However, the deficiency of this practice can be masked by the social, cultural and attitudinal filters that people have.
Listening is as complicated as the communicative process itself, hence the need to be cognizant of its potential difficulties. Organizations that employ people give communication a premium. These are places where faulty listening can translate into safety hazards, lost customers, and missed deadlines.
The practice of listening effectively has been advanced by Ralph Nichols at the International Listening Association. His organization is a leading proponent of employee training and research in the practice of effective listening.
Listening Improvement Tips
People who communicate with others exhibit discernible listening behaviors along with methods of processing information. There are those who possess good listening skills and there are others who are horrible at the experience.
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) has elevated the communication profession to its rightful status. Recognizing the criticality of listening in business conversations, the association offers performance improvement programs, on-demand online courses, and real-life learning applications.
Here are ways to become a sharp listener:
- Become engaged in the conversation
- Ask the speaker to pause and restate a point
- Write down important points
- Ask questions
- Express reaction to an important point
- Volunteer to restate a critical thought
- Display body language
There is no worse place where aural habits are showcased more egregiously than in business situations. To improve, practitioners must know how to spot bad listening tendencies, participate in professional improvement programs, and link with credentialing bodies that promote the practice.
Thus becoming good in listening requires initiative and serious effort from those who wish to excel. Similarly, management needs to learn with the rest of the workforce since deficient listening is as prevalent in the boardroom as it is in the work floor.
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