What is Listening?
What is Listening?
Listening is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and or nonverbal messages; to hear something with thoughtful attention
Effective communication is 2-way
depends on speaking and listening.
Listening vs. Hearing
Hearing- physical process; natural; passive
Listening is hard!
You must choose to participate in the process of listening.
We listen at 125-250 wpm, think at 1000-3000 wpm
75% of the time we are distracted, preoccupied or forgetful.
20% of the time, we remember what we hear.
More than 35% of businesses think listening is a top skill for success.
Less than 2% of people have had formal education with listening
Why Be A Good Listener?
Needs of the Customer…
To be recognized and remembered.
To feel valued.
To feel appreciated.
To feel respected.
To feel understood.
To feel comfortable about a want or need.
Listening builds stronger relationships which creates a desire to cooperate among people because they feel accepted and acknowledged.
Listening promotes being heard …
”Seek first to understand, then be understood.”
- Stephen Covey
Listening creates acceptance and openness …conveys the message that
“I am not judging you.”
Listening leads to learning ....openness encourages personal growth and learning.
Listening reduces stress and tension …minimizes confusion and misunderstanding, eliminating related stress and tension.
Listening is CRITICAL in conflict resolution …much conflict comes from the need to be heard.
Successful resolution depends on being a non-anxious presence