Chapter 4

Listening Skills

Listening: Introduction
Listening is an important skill for speakers. Good listening can help:
During the research process. During practice when you receive feedback. During your speech as the audience gives you feedback.

Listening: Listening v. hearing

Hearing is passive reception. Listening means actively paying attention to the message.

Listening: An overview
Reviewing the following topics will help you become a better listener:
Importance of listening The process of listening Causes of ineffective listening Suggestions for improving listening

Importance of listening: Why listen

Good listening can:
increase a speakers connection with audience by responding to feedback help an audience member absorb information and critically evaluate claims

The listening process: An overview

Processing what you have heard. Retaining what youve processed.

The listening process: Processing what youve heard

Processing involves actively thinking about both vocal and nonverbal messages and cues
allows a listener to make better decisions with the information

The listening process: Retaining what youve processed

Retaining is your ability to remember what youve heard.
Easier if you have good attention and listening skills

The attentiveness curve demonstrates the listening patterns of poor listeners

The listening process:

The attentiveness curve

Culprits behind poor listening: An overview

Unprocessed note taking Nonlistening Interruptive listening Agenda-driven listening Argumentative listening Nervous listening

Culprits behind poor listening: Unprocessed note taking

When taking notes focus on the content of whats being said Dont take notes only to take notes

Unprocessed note taking

Culprits behind poor listening: Nonlistening

When you simply do not listen Like the information is hitting a brick wall Retention is impossible

Culprits behind poor listening: Interruptive listening

When one person consistently interrupts another Happens two ways:
Audiences can interrupt to derail a speaker. Speakers can also interrupt audiences, cutting off a question or comment.

Culprits behind poor listening: Interruptive listening

All interruptive listening is:
Rude Limits listening Decreases credibility and goodwill

Interruptive listening

Culprits behind poor listening: Agenda driven listening

Focusing so much on what comes next in the speech you pay little attention to audience members.
Annoys audience members and damages credibility

Agenda driven listening

Culprits behind poor listening: Argumentative listening

Listening only enough to fuel your own arguments.

Culprits behind poor listening: Nervous listening

Feeling compelled to talk through silences

Tips for culprits behind poor listening

Tip: Some silence is okay. If you feel compelled to speak during a pause, count to three before you speak. Tip: Planning, preparation, and practice can help avoid unplanned silences and agenda driven listening.

Becoming a better listener: An overview

You can be a better listener by improving your interactive listening skills which involve:
Filtering out distractions Focusing on the speaker Showing that you are listening

Becoming a better listener: Filter out distractions

Try to ignore external distractions. Try to blot out internal noise, or any thoughts that makes it hard for you to concentrate Examples of internal noise include:
Worrying about your grade Thinking of your previous nights excitement

Becoming a better listener: Focus on the speaker

Keep your mind on what the speaker is saying.

Becoming a better listener: Show that you are listening

Nonverbal cues that indicate listening:
Alert posture Head nodding

Verbal cues that indicate listening:

Asking questions Maintaining eye contact

Maximizing your audiences listening: An overview

Audience surveillance may indicate two kinds of unengaged listening:
Defeated listening: audiences cannot understand or follow your speech Superficial listening: audience only acts like they are listening

Maximizing your audiences listening:

Anticipating ineffective listening
Consider your listeners attention and energy levels. Assess your audiences knowledge and ability. Watch for argumentative listeners.

Maximizing your audiences listening: An overview

Anticipating ineffective listening Tailoring your delivery Using audiovisual aids Front- and back-loading your main message

Maximizing your audiences listening: Tailoring your delivery

As you deliver your speech, stay audience focused and adjust your delivery based on feedback.

Maximizing your audiences listening: Using audiovisual aids

Use strategically to capture attention
Space them apart in speech Present the visual Put the visual aid away when done

Maximizing your audiences listening: Front- and back-loading your main message
People listen most to the beginning and end of a speech, so place important information there.

Listening when you are in the audience

Providing a speech critique can help you and the speaker. A good critique provides constructive criticism:
Take notes Identify main points Consider speechs objectives

Tips for the listening process

Tip: Keep an open mind when listening; every listening experience is an opportunity for learning. Tip: Listen to others as you would like them to listen to you.