Listening Skills
Guidelines for Improving Listening Skills
- Increase listening span.
- Take time to listen.
- Give your full attention.
- Restate the message you’ve just heard.
- Avoid hasty evaluation.
- Don’t overreact to content.
- Don’t fake enthusiasm.
- Don’t become distracted.
- Listen between the lines.
- Listen for ideas, not facts.
- Don’t monopolize.
- Adapt your thought speed.
- listen only to what you want to hear.
Listener Responsibilities
- Show interest by your actions.
- Take time to listen.
- Learn something about the sender.
- Get the whole message.
- Don’t interrupt the sender.
- Concentrate on listening.
- Practice listening.
Sender Responsibilities
- Show the receiver that you want attention.
- Be sure the receiver is taking time and is ready to listen.
- Try not to waste the receiver’s time.
- Give the receiver the whole message (what, why, when, where, who, and how).
- Repeat and clarify the main idea.
- Position yourself and the receiver to avoid distractions.
- Look at the receiver.
- Evaluate the receiver’s interpretation.