Active listening refers to ways of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. When people talk to each other, they often do not listen attentively. They are often distracted, half-listening and half-thinking about something else. When people are engaged in a conflict, they are often busy formulating a response to what they are hearing. They assume that they have heard what their opponent is saying, so rather than pay attention, they focus on how they can respond to win the argument.
Active listening is a structured form of listening and responding that focuses the attention on the speaker. The listener must take care to attend to the speaker fully and then interpret or try to make sense of what is heard. The listener does not have to agree with the speaker but needs to understand the message or content being conveyed. If the listener does not understand clearly, then he or she needs to ask for clarification or further explanation from the speaker.
Often, the listener is encouraged to interpret the speakerÊs words not only semantically, but also in terms of feelings. Thus, instead of just receiving what is heard, active listeners need to pay attention to psychological elements coming across with the message(s), such as whether the speaker is angry, frustrated, happy or unsure of what is being addressed. This will add to the overall comprehension of the messages being heard.
Active listening has several benefits. First, it enables people to listen attentively to others. Second, it avoids misunderstandings as people have to confirm that they really do understand what the speaker has said. Third, active listening tends to prompt the speaker to explain more when he or she feels that you are really attuned to his or her concerns and wants to listen. The speaker is likely to explain in detail what they are saying and why. If both parties in a conflict do this (active listening), the chances of being able to develop a solution to the problem are much greater.
Thus, in a nutshell, active listening is concerned with the ability to distinguish and identify relevant elements pertinent to listening and speaking skills. Distinguishing Details Listening is a skill, and as with any skill, practice is essential. What we can do in a brief section here is draw your attention to some things to consider when listening to speakers. The primary goal of most listening efforts is to understand the message or important details being conveyed verbally. As you incorporate some of these suggestions in listening for details, you may find that the effort comes a little easier, but ultimately, it is you who has to decide whether you want to listen or not. Listening is hard work. Unless you are willing to accept the challenges and make the effort, effective listening will not take place.
Suggestions for enhancing listening to distinguish details:
1. Remain Focused. Instead of going on private sidetracks that have nothing to do with the topic being discussed, think about what the speaker is saying.
2. Think Ahead of the Speaker. Try to figure out where the speaker is going and what is the next point. This may be easy with some speakers who are well organized and who present their points clearly. However, most of us are not very clear and organized, and that may make the work of the listener difficult. If you are interested in getting the main details, you may have to do the organizing yourself.
3. Summarize What the Speaker is Saying. Break what is being said into main points and supporting points. Most speakers often repeat their words, especially in important or main points. As a listener your task is to distinguish these important details from the supporting ones. The speaker sometimes helps you to make the distinction by emphasizing a point with voice cues or repeating it several times, or telling you that this is a key point to note.
4. Identify the SpeakerÊs Evidence. Ask yourself questions about the speaker As sources and their validity. Do you find the evidence convincing, complete, valid or logical?
No comments:
Post a Comment