The document discusses the importance of listening in communication, emphasizing that effective listening is a critical skill that significantly impacts job effectiveness and relationships. It outlines three modes of listening—competitive, passive, and active—highlighting active listening as the most beneficial, which enhances productivity, reduces misunderstandings, and fosters cooperation. Additionally, it provides practical tips for improving listening skills, such as maintaining eye contact and minimizing distractions.

1. Communication
Understanding the most significant
aspect in Communication

2. Based on the research of: Adler, R., Rosenfeld, L. and Proctor, R. (2001) Interplay: the process of interpersonal
communicating (8th edn), Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt.
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3. Listening
"The reason why we have two ears and
only one mouth is that we may listen
the more and talk the less."
(Zeno of Citium)

4. Understanding Listening
• Is the absorption of the meanings of individual
sounds (letters, stress, rhythm and
pauses)sentences by the brain
• The active process of receiving and
responding to spoken (and sometimes
unspoken) messages.
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5. Listening
• One of the most important skill one can have
• Has major impact on:
– Job effectiveness
– Quality of Relationships
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6. Modes of Listening
1. Competitive or Combative Listening
2. Passive or Attentive listening
3. Active or Reflective Listening
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7. Modes of Listening
• Competitive or Combative Listening
– Pretend to be listening but are actually
formulating next question or comment
– people are:
• More focused on how they will respond
• Waiting to jump right in with their own argument,
opinion or thought
• Usually do more talking than listening
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8. Modes of Listening
• Passive or Attentive listening
– Genuinely interested in hearing and
understanding the other’s point of view
– Will be attentive and polite
– Stay passive
– Rely on assumptions
– Never verify
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9. Modes of Listening
• Active or Reflective Listening
– Most useful & Important listening skill
– Genuinely interested in understanding what the
other person is saying, thinking and feeling
– Totally engrossed in what is being said
– Verify what they hear by paraphrasing or restating
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10. Benefits of Active Listening
• Makes workers more productive.
• Active Listening helps you to:
– Improve Personal Relationships,
– Reduce Misunderstandings & Conflicts,
– Strengthen Cooperation and
– Foster Understanding.
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11. We Listen:
• To obtain information
• To understand
• For enjoyment
• To learn
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12. • Research suggests that:
–we remember between 25 percent and 50
percent of what we hear.
• What does it mean?
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13. Solution?
• Become a Better Listener
Or for some of us who are bad at it
• Improve your Listening Skills!
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14. How?
• Practice Active Listening
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15. Active Listening
HOW?
• Conscious Process
• Therefore, Can be improved by Regular
Practice
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16. Improve Your Active Listening Skills with these
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17. : 1
• Face the Speaker:
– Sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show
your attentiveness through body language.
– Note your posture and make sure it is open and
inviting
– Avoid nervous tricks: wringing hands, picking at
your nails
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18. : 2
• Maintain Eye Contact:
– but don’t stare
– To the degree that you all remain comfortable
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19. : 3
• Minimise External Distractions:
– Turn off the TV
– Silent your Mobile
– Putdown your magazine or book..etc
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20. : 4
• Respond Appropriately:
– Show that you understand
• Use sounds like: (“uh-huh” and “um-hmm”
• Nod or raise your eyebrows
• Use words such as as “Really,” “Interesting,” OR
• Direct prompts like: “What did you do then?” and
“What did she say?”
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21. : 5
• Focus solely on what the speaker is saying:
– Stop thinking or rehearsing what you are going to
say next
– Conversation will follow a logical flow after the
speaker makes his/her point
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22. : 6
• Minimise internal Distractions:
– Could be emotional, psychological or physical
• Feeling upset, negative thoughts, hungry..etc
– Learn to tune out distractions as you would in a
Meditation
– re-focus your attention on the speaker
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23. : 7
• Keep an Open Mind:
– Try not to make assumptions
– Defer judgment
– Wait the speaker to finish before deciding that
you disagree
– When disagreeing with the speaker, write down
the objections rather than tuning out the
presenter
– Listen with empathy
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24. : 8
• Avoid letting the speaker know how you
handled a similar situation:
– Unless specifically asked for it
– Assume they just need to talk it out
– Suspend all positive or negative association of
your experience
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25. : 9
• Wait until they finish to defend yourself:
– Don’t interrupt with counter arguments, even if a
complaint against you is launched
• Advantage?
– Prevents the tendency to repeat
– Will know the whole argument before you respond
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26. : 10
• Engage yourself:
– Ask questions for clarification (once the speaker has
finished)
– Eg: “What do you mean when you say…”
» “Is this what you mean…”
– Reflect what is being said by Paraphrasing
– Eg: “so you were saying……”
» “What I am hearing is….”
» “Sounds like you are saying…”
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27. Questions? 30

28. • “The most basic and powerful way to connect to
another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the
most important thing we ever give each other is our
attention.”
-Rachel Naomi Remen
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29. Contact:
Email: ajojoseph@outlook.com
Mob: +91 900 839 1444
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