YOU & YOUR JOB Learn by listening do you act as if you are losing time, or gaining information? Eugene Raudsepp, Princion Cwrative Research, Inc. 1D Good ligening is crucial to effective communication, Yet, studies have shown that ony about 10% of ws lis properly. Most of us don’t know how to, oF don’t wa listen intelligently. ‘This article presents some painters that will help you learn more by listening beter ‘The age factor Ie seems that the ability to listen deteriorates with as the following story indicates: ducted in An experiment was con school system, with participation from Ist-grade through I2dh-grade si dents. During the experiment, the teachers were asked to suddenly interrupt themselves at certain times and ask their students two questions: “What was 1 falking abana?" saul “What were yo tubing thou? Over 90% of Ist and 2nd graders were shown to be listening and hearing what the teachers were saying. In junior high school, the figure was only about 44%. In hhigh school, from 10th to 12h grades, the percentage dropped to 28%! Mechanism of listening To most people, listening consists of trying to figure out as fast as possible the gist of the other person's message. ‘They tune out as soon as they think they have grasped the central point, then mentally prepare their ‘nt or rebuttal on the topic they assinmne is being discussed, The speaker has a thought or a mental image to convey to you. You hear the words, and your mind fashions an interpretation of the message. If your int pretation corresponds to the speker's meaning, response will also correspond. If your interpretation is hot the same as the speaker intended, your resporise will not beaddressed to the original talking on different wavelengths, Many laboratory experiments have shortcomings in listening. A typical test, subjects, proceeds as follows fing, and you will he involving six Five subjects leave a room. ‘The remaining one is exposed to a picture of a street scene and is given two idy andl memorize as many details as she i, The picture is then withdrawn “The second subject is then called into the room, and the first subject de sevibes the picture to hin, He inv umm cells de thi subject what he heard, and this goes ou anti the fast subject is eeached The last subject describes the picture as she visualizes it, based on the description she has heard, When she is shown the picture, she Why? Joes not recognize 1. Fewer details are passed on each time 2. Details are distorted or changed 3. One subjeet’s inferences are transformed into defi nite assertions as the description is passed on, 4. Fach subject emphasizes different details in his or her description, Effective listening The following re preset improve your listening elliciny 1. Increase your fening span. Deliberately try to inhibit Your temptation to interrupt. Make sure the speaker has had the opportunity to mike his or her point before you speak. Ifyou don't get the whole message, ask him or her to repeat or clarify. IF yon put obvions limitations on your listening time, is apt to feel rushed Many’ people think alow and grope toward their mean jdtetines led to help you ing. Give the speaker tine 19 deliver the whale message 2. Pay full attention. You act ike a good listener when you are alert, n good eye contact, lean forward i Tet your fe radiate interest by nodding wreyebrows and give encourag appropriate, one He, with questions. Comments such as“ see ‘ell me more about that, interesting, provide positive feedback 3. Reviate the message. When the speaker has finished, restate the main points in your own words and ask him or hier if that is wl any misunderstanding is kept 10 a M. This assures that 1m. Supportive {questioning is inaeated bys “Is that w Do F understand this correct! phrase of the r 4. und hasty evaluation. One of the major barriers to followed by a para anks of the speaker effective communication is the tendency to approve or disapprove the statement of the other person tov hastily Seek toal comprehension of the speaker's message 5. Don't overeact to delivery. A good listener is not overly concerned about the speaker's mannerisins or delivery Instead, your attitude should be: "What's in this message that T ced to know?" “What can th knowledge and experience 6. teoid distractions, Poor list ners tend to be distracted 1 sounds, objects, and people—a police siren in by fore the street, a telephone ringing in the next room, people passing by the open door. Good listeners either position themselves so that they can avoid distractions, or they concentrate harder on what the speaker is saying. “7. Foten between te lines, Vey no nly te listen iisaatournaceneerons TERRE said but to understand the motives that lie behind the words, Also, remember that te speaker does not always message inte words, He ale 10 tn jot sid. "The changing ton 's voice may have meat gestures and body far ideas, wot just fats. nel to foes on, th makes an ellort co understand what the facts ad up to. He or she weighs them and relates them to each other to e what key idea binds them together. 9. Don't monepualize, People who have ny social feel they know e listeners. ‘They shut their minds so tightly that they literally don’t hear new ideas. Instead, they impatiently wait for a chance to buit in with what they think is the conclusive word on the subject under 10. Adapt your thought sped. We can think abo faster th ticnt with the slow pro three to impa ‘ess the speaker is making, let their thoughts wander. ‘Then, when their atwantion re: turns (o the speaker, they lind they've missed something, To use your thought speed to advantage, mentally sum up what the speaker h ing. Weigh the evi sell whether the facts are accurate and fou wwe can talk. Poor list c, oF if, on the other hand, the speaker is only telling what will prove bis or her point TL. Don't listen pny to what you want to hear, A trained woloist i wating conwne a busy city steeet with a ricud, In the midst of the honking horns aud sereechin tives, the entomologist suddenly exclaimed to his friend, “Do you hear the cricket!” His fr astonishmer The entomologist, ned into his pocket, the aiv and, as it elinked on ned. ‘The entomologist what we listen for.” took outa coin, lipped the sidewalk, a doze then said to his boss? To you? 1, He doesn’t give me a chance to explain fully what my problem is, 2. She never lets plete more dan a few sen- tences belo he acts as if she ean hardly ‘wait (or me to get through talking. ‘3. He likes to finish sentences lor me. she asks about what F've just told her listening at all les. [feel uncomfortable talking ne while Pin talking. 1eis hard wucle whether she’s even list He oltew sets as if Pan keeping hin from something that Jore important, 8, She co cr nails or fddles with a pen, a listening. to me. 10. Whes her immedi IL. He always tries to anticipate what I'm going to say and jumps ahead to tell me what L have in mind. 12. Whenever I talk, he stares at me as if dishelieving ng Ua ay of putting me on conlusing wg whenever Task hi LA. Almost everything Tsay triggers defensive, or a question, argument, before I've had a chance to fully explain what Thad in ind. 15, She ties to be fimny when I have something serious to discuss. 1G, When I speak, he looks at me i critical way, making me wonder whether something is never postpones what she tion completely to me. doing and uw Kenneth J. MoNaughton, Eior ‘The author Ranaeepp reco (ve problemi Cheater flo ta SellNew hewn! ea hw ecto Ne NR, PO. Hx 182 recto, Nf OBEH0- Te