Listening, Interpreting & Speaking
Listening & Interpreting. Is it really a skill or just effort?
About 55% of the average person's day is dedicated to listening. Being an effective listener means engaging your ears and your brain so you're tuned in to what's being said - something that takes time to learn how to do. 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.
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.
Listening is not a passive process. In fact, the listener should be as engaged in the process as the speaker. The phrase ‘active listening’ is used to describe this process of being fully involved. We'll practice techniques to enhance this skill.
