Effective Listening

Hearing vs. Listening

Hearing vs Listening Foundation

Gaining a better understanding of the listening process begins with understanding the difference between hearing and listening.

Hearing Definition

Hearing occurs when ears pick up sounds being transmitted by a speaker or another source.

Listening Definition

Listening, on the other hand, involves:

Hearing
PLUS paying attention to and giving consideration to what is heard

What Listening Means

Listening = Thinking

In other words, listening involves thinking about and making sense of the message.

Effective, Active Listening

Active Listening

Effective, active listening involves engaging verbally and nonverbally in the listening process to appropriately:

Respond
Comprehend
Evaluate
Remember a message

What Listening Builds

Listening Benefits

Effective listening helps build trust and mutual respect.

Better Decisions

Leaders with good listening skills often make better decisions.

Three Types of Listening

Three Listening Types

Three types of listening:

Informative Listening
Critical Listening
Empathic Listening

Informative Listening

Informative Listening Definition

In informative listening, the listener's primary concern is to understand information exactly as transmitted.

Successful Listening

Successful (effective) listening occurs when the listener understands the message exactly as the sender intended.

Five Suggestions for Improving

Five Informative Suggestions.

Keep an open mind and set aside bias
Listen as if you had to teach it
Take notes to help recall the main points
Ask questions to clarify or confirm your understanding of the message
Maximize the use of the time by mentally repeating the message and absorbing the information in a way that makes the information more pertinent and applicable to you

Critical Listening

Critical Listening = Informative + Critical Thinking

Critical listening is usually thought of as the sum of informative listening and critical thinking because the listener is actively analyzing and evaluating the message the speaker is sending.

When Critical Listening Is Appropriate

Critical Listening Use Cases

Critical listening is appropriate when:

Seeking input to a decision
Evaluating work or a subordinate's capabilities
Conducting research

Four Suggestions for Improving

Four Critical Suggestions.

Listen as if you had to grade it
Take notes to help recall the main points
Ask questions to evaluate the intellectual content of the message
Maximize the use of the time by first understanding the message and then evaluating the information

Empathic Listening

Empathic Listening Definition

Empathic listening is often useful when:

Communication is emotional
The relationship between speaker and listener is just as important as the message

Use as Prerequisite

Empathic Prerequisite

Use this type of listening as somewhat of a prerequisite to informational or critical listening.

Empathic Listening Use Cases

Empathic Use Cases

Empathic listening is often appropriate during:

Mentoring sessions
Counseling sessions

…and is very helpful when communicating with family members.

Effective Listening