This is maily to help you improve your listeninjg skills and thus to make you communicate life a professional. Communication should be effective. The modern day communication is mult-imodal. The digital world has made it really wonderful. But you must be prepared to achieve excellence in this multifaceted communication avenues. Then only you can be heard, lest your sound may get drowned in the cacophony.

1. COMMUNICA
TE LIKE A
TRUE
PROFESSION
AL
Babu Appat

2. It’s a skill you ought to
possess
We need to communicate with
other people to achieve anything
significant, yet many people
never develop their
communication skills beyond the
basics.
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3. See this Pictogram
Communicatio
n in the
modern times
is more varied
more
efficient, multi
modal and
multifaceted

4. Communication in Whatever fashion
you want it
Hot and Crisp Talk; Fleshy and Juicy too

5. So, how can you boost your
skills, right now?
Talk Effectively, Express
Effortlessly

6. The Basic Principle of Effective
Communication
L
S
R
W
(Listen,
Speak, Read
and Write)
Principle

7. Practice it a billion times
PRACTICE
SPEAKING TO
YOUR FRIENDS
WITHOUT
INHIBITION
PRACTICE
CONSCIENTIOUS
READING
SPEAK READ
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8. Listening Skills
YOU CAN START
BY LEARNING
HOW TO
LISTEN
ATTENTIVELY
TO OTHER
TEST
YOUR LISTENI
NG
SKILLS WITH
THIS SHORT
QUIZ
START TEST
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9. TO IMPROVE YOUR
WRITING SKILLS, AND
FIND OUT ABOUT
THE MISTAKES YOU
NEED TO AVOID IF YOU
WANT TO COMMUNICATE
LIKE A TRUE
PROFESSIONAL
Listen, Speak, Read and Write everyday

10. How Good are Your Listening
Skills?
Understandin
g Someone's
Entire
Message

11. US, LISTENING IS THE
COMMUNICATION
SKILL WE USE THE
MOST. YET, MANY
PEOPLE LISTEN
POORLY, AND THEY
RARELY THINK TO
IMPROVE THIS
IMPORTANT SKILL.
Improve your Listening Skill

12. POOR LISTENERS
"HEAR" WHAT'S BEING
SAID, BUT THEY
RARELY "LISTEN" TO
THE WHOLE
MESSAGE.
Hearing is not Listening

13. THEY GET DISTRACTED BY
THEIR OWN THOUGHTS
OR BY WHAT'S GOING ON
AROUND THEM, AND THEY
FORMULATE THEIR
RESPONSES BEFORE THE
PERSON THEY'RE TALKING
TO HAS FINISHED
SPEAKING..
Distracting Thoughts

14. It’s MIND which makes it or mar it
Because of this, they miss crucial
information

15. GOOD LISTENERS, ON
THE OTHER HAND,
ENJOY BETTER
RELATIONSHIPS,
BECAUSE THEY FULLY
UNDERSTAND WHAT
OTHER PEOPLE ARE
SAYING.
Be a Good Listener

16. THEIR TEAM
MEMBERS ARE ALSO
MORE PRODUCTIVE,
BECAUSE THEY FEEL
THAT THEY CAN
DISCUSS PROBLEMS
EASILY, AND TALK
THROUGH
SOLUTIONS.
Finding out Solutions

17. YOU CAN LEARN TO
BE A BETTER
LISTENER. TEST YOUR
SKILLS BELOW, AND
THEN FIND OUT HOW
YOU CAN IMPROVE
Take this test

18. You have to listen carefully to learn effectively
Listening = Learning
How Good are Your
Listening Skills?

19. Instructions
Test

20. Take this test.
Write these questions down on a
sheet of paper, and circle a
number in the column that most
applies to you.
(Ifyoutakethetestonline,yourresultswillbecalculatedforyouautomatically.)

21. Answer each statement as you actually
are, rather than as you think you should
be. 1
14 Statement to Answer
Not
at all
Rarely
Some
times
Often
Very
Often
1. To be more productive, I respond to
emails and instant messages while I'm
speaking to people on the phone.
5 4 3 2 1
2. I repeat points back during a
conversation to clarify my understanding of
what the other person is saying.
1 2 3 4 5
3. When people speak to me about
sensitive subjects, I make an effort to put
them at ease.
1 2 3 4 5

22. Answer each statement as you actually
are, rather than as you think you should
be. 2
14 Statement to Answer
Not
at all
Rarely
Some
times
Often
Very
Often
4. I feel uncomfortable with silence during
conversations.
5 4 3 2 1
5. As I listen, I compare the other person's
viewpoint with my own.
5 4 3 2 1
6. To get people to elaborate on their point,
I ask open questions (ones that can't be
answered with "yes" or "no").
1 2 3 4 5

23. Answer each statement as you actually
are, rather than as you think you should
be. 3
14 Statement to Answer
Not
at all
Rarely
Some
times
Often
Very
Often
7. When someone is speaking to me,
I nod and say things like "OK" and
"uh-huh" occasionally.
1 2 3 4 5
8. I play "devil's advocate" to prompt
responses from the other person. 5 4 3 2 1
9. I catch myself asking leading
questions to encourage the other
person to agree with my viewpoint.
5 4 3 2 1

24. Answer each statement as you actually
are, rather than as you think you should
be. 4
14 Statement to Answer
Not
at all
Rarely
Some
times
Often
Very
Often
10. I interrupt people.
5 4 3 2 1
11. When people speak to me, I stay
completely still so that I don't distract
them.
5 4 3 2 1
12. I try to read the other person's
body language as I listen. 1 2 3 4 5

25. Answer each statement as you actually
are, rather than as you think you should
be. 5
13. If the other person is
struggling to explain
something, I jump in with
my own suggestions.
Not at
All
5
Rarely
4
Some
times
3
Often
2
Very
Often
1
14. If I'm busy, I let others
talk to me as long as
they're quick.
5 4 3 2 1

26. Score
Comment
14-29
You need to improve your listening skills. The people around you probably feel that you
don't pay attention to them when they talk to you, and they may feel that you don't
understand them.
You can boost your listening skills with some simple steps. (Read below to get started.)
30-49
Your listening skills are OK, but you can definitely improve them further.
Use the tools that we suggest below to develop your listening skills. Pay special attention
to the advice on empathic listening - this is great for taking your listening skills to the next
level. (Read below to get started.)
50-70
You have good listening skills. People know that they can approach you if they need
someone to listen, and they trust that you'll give them your full attention. They also know
that you'll give them space to talk freely, without interrupting or talking too much about
yourself.
Score Interpretation

27. Prepare this table with your
score
 Preparing to Listen
(Questions 1, 3, 14)

 Score
 Statement 1

 Statement 3

 Statement 14

 Total
 Out of 15

28. IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION,
REMOVE ANYTHING
THAT MAY DISTRACT
YOU FROM IT, SO THAT
YOU CAN FOCUS, AND
SO THAT YOU CAN
SHOW THE OTHER
PERSON THAT SHE HAS
YOUR FULL ATTENTION.
Attentive you must be throughout

29. PHONE, TURN OFF
INSTANT MESSAGING
AND EMAIL ALERTS, PUT
YOUR WORK
AWAY, CLOSE YOUR
MEETING ROOM
DOOR, AND DO WHAT
YOU CAN TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU WON'T BE
INTERRUPTED.
Avoid all possible interruptions

30. YOU WON'T BE ABLE
TO OFFER THE OTHER
PERSON YOUR FULL
ATTENTION - FOR
EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE
WORKING ON AN
URGENT TASK -
SCHEDULE A BETTER
TIME TO SPEAK
Schedule the most suitable

31. HOWEVER, MAKE
SURE THAT THE
OTHER PERSON
KNOWS THAT THE
CONVERSATION IS
IMPORTANT TO YOU
This call is important to me..
(and never make them hold for long)

32. ALSO, DO WHAT YOU
CAN TO MAKE THE
OTHER PERSON FEEL
AT EASE. USE
OPEN BODY
LANGUAGE, AND A
FRIENDLY TONE.
The Body Language

33. IF HE INDICATES THAT
HE WANTS TO SPEAK
ABOUT A SENSITIVE
SUBJECT, AND IF THIS IS
APPROPRIATE, REMIND
HIM THAT THE
CONVERSATION IS IN
CONFIDENCE, AND THAT
HE CAN BE HONEST
WITH YOU
You can be honest with me

34. MANAGER, THERE MAY
BE SOME THINGS THAT
YOU CANNOT KEEP
CONFIDENTIAL. IF YOUR
CONVERSATION IS
BEGINNING TO
ENCROACH ON
THESE, MAKE THIS
CLEAR TO THE OTHER
PERSON.)
Encroaching beyond

35. Active Listening
(Questions 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
Score
Statement 5
Statement 7
Statement 8
Statement 9
Statement 10
Statement 11
Statement 12

36. ONLY MAKE A
CONSCIOUS EFFORT
TO HEAR THE OTHER
PERSON'S WORDS,
BUT, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, YOU
TRY TO UNDERSTAND
THEIR WHOLE
MESSAGE.
Active Listening

37. TO DO THIS, LEARN
HOW TO READ
PEOPLE'S BODY
LANGUAGE AND TONE,
SO THAT YOU CAN
IDENTIFY "HIDDEN"
NONVERBAL
MESSAGES.
Hidden Non-Verbal Messages

38. DON'T INTERRUPT
PEOPLE, AND DON'T
ALLOW YOURSELF TO
BE DISTRACTED BY
YOUR OWN
THOUGHTS OR
OPINIONS.
Don’t be Distracted

39. INSTEAD, FOCUS
COMPLETELY ON
WHAT THE OTHER
PERSON IS SAYING
Remain attentive throughout

40. NOD OR SAY "OK"
OCCASIONALLY TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
YOU'RE LISTENING.
Yes, I’m Listening

41. IF YOU DON'T
UNDERSTAND
SOMETHING, WAIT
FOR PEOPLE TO
FINISH WHAT THEY'RE
SAYING BEFORE YOU
ASK FOR
CLARIFICATION
Wait, be Patient, Clarify

42. YOU'LL NEED TO
CONCENTRATE HARD
TO STAY FOCUSED ON
THE PERSON WHO'S
SPEAKING, AND THIS
CAN TAKE A LOT OF
EFFORT.
Stay Focused

43. IF YOU ARGUE OR
"PLAY DEVIL'S
ADVOCATE" WHILE
YOU LISTEN, YOU MAY
DISCOURAGE THEM
FROM OPENING UP TO
YOU
Devil’s Advocate

44. TIP:
IT CAN BE DIFFICULT
NOT TO FORMULATE A
RESPONSE WHILE
THE OTHER PERSON
IS TALKING
Wait, be Patient, Clarify

45. THIS IS BECAUSE WE
TYPICALLY THINK
MUCH FASTER THAN
OTHER PEOPLE CAN
SPEAK, SO OUR
BRAINS ARE OFTEN
"WHIRRING AWAY"
WHILE THEY ARE
TALKING
Thinking is faster than

46. YOU'LL NEED TO
CONCENTRATE HARD
TO STAY FOCUSED ON
THE PERSON WHO'S
SPEAKING, AND THIS
CAN TAKE A LOT OF
EFFORT
Train yourself to concentrate

47. Empathic Listening
(Questions 2, 4, 6, 13)
Score
Statement 2
Statement 4
Statement 6
Statement 13
Total Out of 20

48. WHEN YOU
DEMONSTRATE EMPAT
HY, YOU RECOGNIZE
OTHER PEOPLE'S
EMOTIONS, AND YOU
DO WHAT YOU CAN TO
UNDERSTAND THEIR
PERSPECTIVES
Empathy

49. AS SUCH, IT REALLY
HELPS YOU TAKE
ACTIVE LISTENING TO
THE NEXT LEVEL.
Active Listening

50. TO LISTEN
EMPATHICALLY, PUT
YOURSELF "IN OTHER
PEOPLE'S SHOES,"
AND TRY TO SEE
THINGS FROM THEIR
POINT OF VIEW
In Other people’s Shoes

51. THEN, SUMMARIZE
WHAT THEY SAY, IN
YOUR OWN WORDS,
TO SHOW THEM THAT
YOU UNDERSTAND
THEIR PERSPECTIVES
Show you’ve understood

52. ASK
OPEN QUESTIONS TO
HELP PEOPLE
ARTICULATE
THEMSELVES FULLY,
AND AVOID USING
LEADING QUESTIONS
THAT "PUT WORDS IN
PEOPLE'S MOUTHS.”
Open Questions

53. THIS GIVES THEM THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADD
FURTHER DETAIL, AND
TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
FEELINGS
Show you’ve understood

54. IMPORTANTLY, DON'T
FEAR MOMENTS OF
SILENCE WHEN YOU
LISTEN. INSTEAD,
EMBRACE PAUSES AS A
WAY TO GIVE PEOPLE
TIME TO FINISH THEIR
POINT, AND ALLOW THEM
TO REFLECT ON WHAT
THEY HAVE SAID
Moments of Silence

55. Key Points
 When you have good listening
skills, you not only "hear" what's
being said, but you listen to the whole
message as well. Because of
this, you help others express
themselves fully

56. Key Points
 When you need to listen, make sure
that you're prepared, and ensure that
things in your environment will not
distract you. And, do what you can to
put people at ease.

57. Key Points
 Next, use active listening techniques
so that you give people your full
attention, and so that you can
understand the nonverbal elements
of their message.

58. Key Points
 Then, take your listening skills to the
next level with empathic listening.
When appropriate, embrace silence,
and make an effort to see things from
other people's perspectives

59. HOPE THAT YOU HAVE
UNDERSTOOD HOW
LISTENING WELL IS
USEFUL IN MAKING
COMMUNICATION
EFFECTIVE.
Communicate Professionally

60. THANK
YOU
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