Definition of Listening skills, types, principles and barriers of listening skills, qualities of a good listener. active listening and it's types.

2. Listening skills route map
 Definition of Listening
 Active listening
 Types of Active listening
 Types of listening
 Qualities of good listener
 How to become a good listener?
 Principles of good listening
 Barriers of good listening

3. What is listening skill?
 Listening is the ability to accurately receive and
interpret messages in the communication process
 Listening is key to all effective communication.
Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are
easily misunderstood. As a result, communication
breaks down and the sender of the message can easily
become frustrated or irritated.

4. Listening is Not the Same as
Hearing
Hearing refers to the sounds that enter your ears.
It is a physical process that, provided you do not have
any hearing problems, happens automatically.
Listening, however, requires more than that: it
requires focus and concentrated effort, both
mental and sometimes physical as well.

5. Listening means paying attention not
only to the story, but how it is told, the
use of language and voice, and how the
other person uses his or her body. In
other words, it means being aware of
both verbal and non-verbal
messages. Your ability to listen
effectively depends on the degree to
which you perceive and understand
these messages.

6. Listening is not a passive process. In
fact, the listener can, and should,
be at least as engaged in the process
as the speaker. The phrase ‘active
listening’ is used to describe this
process of being fully involved.

7. Active Listening
 Active listening is a skill that can be acquired and
developed with practice. However, active listening can
be difficult to master and will, therefore, take time
and patience to develop.
 'Active listening' means, as its name suggests, actively
listening. That is fully concentrating on what is being
said rather than just passively ‘hearing’ the message of
the speaker.

8. Active listening involves listening
with all senses. As well as giving full
attention to the speaker, it is
important that the ‘active listener’ is
also ‘seen’ to be listening - otherwise
the speaker may conclude that what
they are talking about is
uninteresting to the listener.

9.  Interest can be conveyed to the speaker by using
both verbal and non-verbal messages such as
maintaining eye contact, nodding your head and
smiling, agreeing by saying ‘Yes’ or simply ‘Mmm
hmm’ to encourage them to continue. By
providing this 'feedback' the person speaking will
usually feel more at ease and therefore
communicate more easily, openly and honestly.

10. Active listening not only means
focusing fully on the speaker but
also actively showing verbal and
non-verbal signs of listening.
Generally speakers want listeners to
demonstrate ‘active listening’ by
responding appropriately to what they
are saying. Appropriate responses to
listening can be both verbal and non-
verbal.

11. Signs of Active Listening
Non-Verbal Signs of
Attentive or Active Listening
Verbal Signs of Attentive or
Active Listening

12. Non-Verbal Signs of Attentive or Active
Listening
Smile
Eye contact
Posture
Mirroring
Distraction

13. Smile
Small smiles can be used to show that
the listener is paying attention to what
is being said or as a way of agreeing or
being happy about the messages being
received. Combined with nods of the
head, smiles can be powerful in
affirming that messages are being
listened to and understood.

14. Eye Contact
It is normal and usually encouraging
for the listener to look at the speaker.
Eye contact can however be
intimidating, especially for more shy
speakers – gauge how much eye contact
is appropriate for any given
situation. Combine eye contact with
smiles and other non-verbal messages
to encourage the speaker.

15. Posture
Posture can tell a lot about the sender
and receiver in interpersonal
interactions. The attentive listener
tends to lean slightly forward or
sideways whilst sitting. Other signs of
active listening may include a slight
slant of the head or resting the head on
one hand.

16. Mirroring
 Automatic reflection/mirroring of any facial
expressions used by the speaker can be a sign of
attentive listening. These reflective expressions can
help to show sympathy and empathy in more
emotional situations. Attempting to consciously
mimic facial expressions (i.e. not automatic reflection
of expressions) can be a sign of inattention.

17. Distraction
The active listener will not be
distracted and therefore will refrain
from fidgeting, looking at a clock or
watch, doodling, playing with their
hair or picking their fingernails.

18. Verbal Signs of Attentive or Active
Listening
Remembering
Questioning
Reflection
Clarification
Summarisation

19. Remembering
The human mind is
notoriously bad at
remembering details,
especially for any length of
time.

20.  However, remembering a few key points, or even the
name of the speaker, can help to reinforce that the
messages sent have been received and understood –
i.e. listening has been successful. Remembering
details, ideas and concepts from previous
conversations proves that attention was kept and is
likely to encourage the speaker to continue. During
longer exchanges it may be appropriate to make very
brief notes to act as a memory jog when questioning or
clarifying later.

21. Questioning
The listener can demonstrate that they
have been paying attention by asking
relevant questions and/or making
statements that build or help to clarify
what the speaker has said. By asking
relevant questions the listener also helps to
reinforce that they have an interest in what
the speaker has been saying.

22. Reflection
Reflecting is closely repeating or
paraphrasing what the speaker has said
in order to show
comprehension. Reflection is a
powerful skill that can reinforce the
message of the speaker and
demonstrate understanding.

23. Clarification
Clarifying involves asking questions of
the speaker to ensure that the correct
message has been
received. Clarification usually involves
the use of open questions which
enables the speaker to expand on
certain points as necessary.

24. Summarisation
 Repeating a summary of what has been said back to
the speaker is a technique used by the listener to
repeat what has been said in their own
words. Summarising involves taking the main points
of the received message and reiterating them in a
logical and clear way, giving the speaker chance to
correct if necessary.

25. Types of listening
 Discriminative listening
 Comprehension listening
 Critical listening
 Evaluative listening
 Appreciative listening
 Sympathetic listening
 Empathetic listening
 Dialogic listening
 Relationship listening

26. Discriminative listening
Discriminative listening is the most
basic type of listening, whereby the
difference between difference sounds is
identified. If you cannot hear
differences, then you cannot make
sense of the meaning that is expressed
by such differences.

27. We learn to discriminate between
sounds within our own language early,
and later are unable to discriminate
between the phonemes of other
languages. This is one reason why a
person from one country finds it
difficult to speak another language
perfectly, as they are unable distinguish
the subtle sounds that are required in
that language.

28.  Likewise, a person who cannot hear the subtleties of
emotional variation in another person's voice will be
less likely to be able to discern the emotions the other
person is experiencing.
 Listening is a visual as well as auditory act, as we
communicate much through body language. We thus
also need to be able to discriminate between muscle
and skeletal movements that signify different
meanings.

29. Comprehension listening
The next step beyond discriminating
between different sound and sights is
to make sense of them. To comprehend
the meaning requires first having a
lexicon of words at our fingertips and
also all rules of grammar and syntax by
which we can understand what others
are saying.

30.  The same is true, of course, for the visual components
of communication, and an understanding of body
language helps us understand what the other person is
really meaning.
 In communication, some words are more important
and some less so, and comprehension often benefits
from extraction of key facts and items from a long
spiel.
 Comprehension listening is also known as content
listening, informative listening and full listening.

31. Critical listening
 Critical listening is listening in order to evaluate and
judge, forming opinion about what is being said.
Judgment includes assessing strengths and
weaknesses, agreement and approval.
 This form of listening requires significant real-time
cognitive effort as the listener analyzes what is being
said, relating it to existing knowledge and rules, whilst
simultaneously listening to the ongoing words from
the speaker.

32. Evaluative listening
In evaluative listening, or critical
listening, we make judgments about
what the other person is saying. We
seek to assess the truth of what is being
said. We also judge what they say
against our values, assessing them as
good or bad, worthy or unworthy.

33. Evaluative listening is particularly
pertinent when the other person is
trying to persuade us, perhaps to
change our behavior and maybe even to
change our beliefs.
Evaluative listening is also called
critical, judgmental or interpretive
listening.

34. Appreciative listening
In appreciative listening, we seek
certain information which will
appreciate, for example that which
helps meet our needs and goals. We use
appreciative listening when we are
listening to good music, poetry or
maybe even the stirring words of a
great leader

35. Sympathetic listening
In sympathetic listening we care
about the other person and show
this concern in the way we pay
close attention and express our
sorrow for their ills and happiness
at their joys.

36. Empathetic listening
When we listen empathetically, we go
beyond sympathy to seek a truer
understand how others are feeling.
This requires excellent discrimination
and close attention to the nuances of
emotional signals. When we are being
truly empathetic, we actually feel what
they are feeling.

37. Dialogic listening
 The word 'dialogue' stems from the Greek words 'dia',
meaning 'through' and 'logos' meaning 'words'. Thus
dialogic listening mean learning through conversation
and an engaged interchange of ideas and information
in which we actively seek to learn more about the
person and how they think.
 Dialogic listening is sometimes known as 'relational
listening'.

38. Relationship listening
 Sometimes the most important factor in listening is in
order to develop or sustain a relationship. This is why
lovers talk for hours and attend closely to what each
other has to say when the same words from someone
else would seem to be rather boring.
 Relationship listening is also important in areas such
as negotiation and sales, where it is helpful if the other
person likes you and trusts you.

39. Qualities of a Good Listener
 A good listener is an active listener. This means that a
good listener is attentive, and fully present during a
conversation.
 A good listener is a careful listener. This means that a
good listener listens to you with full concentration.
 A good listener does not get distracted. This means
that a good listener does not checks his/her phone,
messages, or emails or does not look here and there.

40.  A good listener cares about you and does not judge you
at all. He/she tries to understand the perspective of
another person. He/she listens and respects the other
person’s views and opinion. A good listener is never
judgemental.
 A good listener makes a comfortable environment for
the speaker by his/her positive attitude.
 A good listener never interrupts in between and knows
when to speak and when not.

41. A good listener gives suggestions only
when asked for. He/she does not
bombard the speaker with questions.
A good listener does not just hears the
conversation but makes the speaker
believe that he/she is listening
carefully.
A good listener never criticizes and
shows respect to the other person.
A good listener remembers the

42. A good listener believes in the
other person, and ready to hear the
other person’s perspective.
A good listener has a positive
attitude towards solving a problem
by listening carefully and
attentively.

43. How to Become a Good Listener?
Clear your mind and thoughts
before starting to listen.
Silent your cell phone or rather
switch off your cell phone before
starting to listen if conversing in
person.
Do not make an assumption before
starting a conversation.

44. Be attentive.
Be sure not to interrupt in the
conversation until asked for.
Use verbal sounds like hmmm or
mmmm when conversing on phone
and show positive body language
signs when in person

45. Principles of Effective Listening
 Stop Talking
If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would
have two tongues and one ear – Mark Twain
 Prepare Yourself to Listen
Focus on the speaker. Put other things out of mind. Relax.
 Put the Speaker at Ease
Help the speaker to feel free to speak.
 Remove Distractions
Focus on what is being said.
 Be Patient
A pause, even a long pause, does not necessarily mean that
the speaker has finished

46.  Avoid Personal Prejudice
Try to be impartial.
 Listen to the Tone
Volume and tone both add to what someone is saying
 Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words
You need to get the whole picture, not just isolated bits
and pieces.
 Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication
Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements can all
be important.
 Empathise
Try to understand the other person’s point of view.

47. Barriers of Effective Listening
 Excessive Talking
 Prejudice
 Distractions
 Expecting others to share your personal belief and
values
 Misunderstanding
 Interrupting
 Bringing in Emotion
 Noise
 Fear