Poor and Effective Listening: Importance of Listening in Organizations
Thesis Statement
This paper entitled “Poor and Effective Listening: Importance of Listening in Organizations” is based on my assumption and belief that listening is one of the major areas of interpersonal communication. We sometimes discount the fact that listening is an important part of communication. I believe that listening has a big impact on everyone’s life. However, our listening skills vary. There are effective listeners as well as poor listeners. It is of great importance that we study the behaviors of both effective and listeners. Effective listening have positive effects while poor listening leads to problems and conflicts. The report will focus oh the importance of listening in organizations and in the business context.
Definition of Terms
Listening
Listening is the most used channel of communication (Harris 2002). In the process of interaction, the process of listening is of crucial importance. In order to respond appropriately to others, we must pay attention to the messages they are sending and link our responses to these. Listening is a fundamental skill and the foundation for other communication skills (2003).
- Listening is the complex, learned human process of sensing, interpreting, evaluating, storing and responding to oral messages (1991 cited 2003, p. 171).
- Listening is the process by which spoken language is converted to meaning in the mind (1971 cited in 2003, p. 171).
- Listening is parallel to, and the social equivalent of, reading: when we read we attempt to understand and assimilate the written word; when we listen we attempt to understand and assimilate the spoken word (1997 cited in 2003, p. 171).
- Listening is the acquisition, processing, and retention of information in the interpersonal context (1997 cited in 2003, p. 172).
- Listening is regarded as the process whereby one person pays careful overt and covert attention to, and attempts to assimilate, understand, and retain, the verbal and nonverbal signals being emitted by another 2003, p. 172).
Effective Listening
Effective listening involves more than simply hearing what the speaker has said; it involves the search for a full and accurate understanding of the meaning of another’s verbal and non-verbal messages. Effective listening is composed of four basic communication skills (Egan 1998 cited in 2002, p. 54):
- Attending – refers to the way listeners orient themselves to speakers, both physically and psychology.
- Listening – involves receiving and understanding the verbal and non-verbal messages transmitted by speakers.
- Empathy – involves listeners understanding messages from within the speakers’ frames of reference and communicating this to them.
- Probing – involves encouraging and prompting speakers to talk about themselves and to define their concern in more concrete and specific terms.
Poor Listening – Poor listening in organizations is seen in failing to follow directions or suggestions, not responding to a message verbally or non-verbally, talking to another, and forgetting previous messages (Cooper 1997). Poor listening creates problems in understanding. Poor listening causes many problems during social interchange.
Outline of the Argument
This paper aims to discuss the differences in behavior between a poor listener and an effective listener. It is also the objective of this paper to identify the benefits of effective listening. Different topics and issues such as poor listening styles, effects of poor listening and the barriers to effective listening will also be discussed in this paper in order to give a full understanding of the topic.
Listening Styles
Let us look at the different listening styles. There are at least five listening styles. One is effective listening while the other four are considered poor listening styles.
Poor Listening Styles
1. The “Missing-in-Action” Listener
This is typically a passive or detached listening style. These listeners, although physically present, are clearly mentally or intellectually absent. They may be preoccupied with personal issues and at times even appear to be in trance. Although there may be a smile on their face, their eyes are blank and distant, and it is obvious they are disengaged from whatever is being said. It is not a question of misunderstanding the communication; they do not even hear it. It is a total lack of perception, not a lack of comprehension. A person could become a “missing in action” listener if he or she has little interest in what is being said or he/she gives little or no legitimacy to the communicator. A person might go missing in action if they feel unable to understand a complex message. If people are intimidated by the deliverer of the content of the message, they may choose to zone out o0f the listening process (Chambers 2001).
2. The “Distracted” Listener
This is an active dysfunctional style. These people are obviously distracted from listening by more immediate concerns. Typically, they are consumed by “urgent” internal issues of the moment. They may be doing two or more things at one time. They try to appear to be listening while reading, writing or pursuing some other activity. They may be concerned about time pressures, perhaps they repeatedly glance at their watch, and their behavior usually indicates impatience. They clearly convey a message of wanting to get the conversation over with so they can get back to the things that are really important to them. This listener appears to be engaged by consistently nodding in agreement or using appropriate verbal cues, yet they realize they are not doing an effective job absorbing the message. They know the importance of listening and are aware of the negative message not doing so sends so they attempt to create the illusion of listening. Their goal is try to bring the communication to a quick conclusion. They have little or no interest in the information (Chambers 2001).
3. The “Selective” Listener
This listening style involves listening to be right or to confirm previously determined opinions and positions. These listeners sift through the message to glean information to support what they already think, hearing only what they want to hear. They are not listening to the total message, they are only selectively listening to validate their own beliefs. They screen out or ignore information that does not fit their preconceptions. Selective listeners can be either positively or negatively inclined. A person can become a selective listener if he or she does not discipline her/his self to listen to someone’s total message. It is an arrogant listening style and should be avoided because a selective listener dismisses the messages of others and confirms her own self-righteous positions (Chambers 2001).
4. The “Contentious” Listener
A contentious listener is one who uses a combative or negatively aggressive listening style. Similar to selective listeners, contentious listeners listen only to find points of disagreement. They listen only to reject, not to actually process the entire message. They are determined to disagree. Disregarding any areas of agreement, they only wish to focus on areas of disagreement. A person can become a contentious listener when listening with his/her emotion. Fear, anger, jealousy, resentment, and similar emotions often result in combative listening patterns. This is subjective, reactionary listening (Chambers 2001).
After presenting the poor listening styles, let us now discussed the fifth listening style.
5. The Effective Listener
Effective listeners are both mentally and physically committed to the listening process. They exercise conscious control over their listening activities. Being focused on the entire message that is being delivered, they are very attentive to the speaker’s total delivery. They maintain keen awareness of the alignment of words, tone of voice, and non-verbal communication. Effective listeners practice open-minded objectivity, withholding judgments and interpretations until they have processed the entire message. Effective listeners send powerful messages to their communication partners of holding them high esteem and finding their thoughts and opinions to be of great interest. Those who truly listen effectively demonstrate great respect for other, and in turn are held in high regard by others (Chambers 2001).
Obstacles to Effective Listening
Dichotomous Listening – This occurs when we attempt to assimilate information simultaneously from two different sources. Examples include trying to listen to two people in a group who are speaking at the same time, and conducting a telephone conversation while carrying on a face-to-face interaction with another person, or when distracted by some form of extraneous noise. In all these instances the dichotomous nature of the listening interferes with the ability of the listener to interact effectively, since messages may be either received inaccurately or not received at all ( 2003).
Inattentiveness – Here the listener for some reason does not give full attention to the speaker. Someone who is self-conscious, and concerned with the personal impression being conveyed, is unlikely to be listening closely to others (2003).
Individual Bias – The biases we have developed as part of our upbringing and socialization are filters that may distort the messages we receive. This can occur in a number of contexts. Someone with limited time may not wish to get involved in lengthy dialogue and therefore may choose to ‘hear’ only the less provocative or unproblematic part of what was said (2003).
Mental Set – We are all affected by previous experiences, attitudes, values and feelings, and these in turn influence our mental set for any given situation. We evaluate other based on their appearance, initial statements, or what they said during previous encounters. These influence the way the speaker is heard, in that statements may be screened so that only those aspects that fit in with specific expectations are perceived (2003).
Blocking – The process of blocking occurs when an individual does not wish to pursue a certain line of communication and so employs various techniques to end or divert the conversation (2003).
Comparison of Behaviors
Behavior of Poor Listeners
Based on the discussed poor listening styles and barriers of effective listening above, let us now look at the characteristics and behaviors of poor listeners.
- Poor listeners have little interest in what is being said or give little or no legitimacy to the communicator.
- Poor listeners find it hard to understand complex messages, they may be intimidated by the content or the deliverer of the message.
- Poor listeners are always distracted.
- Poor listeners appear to be preoccupied with other thoughts or concerns, their behavior indicates impatience.
- Poor listeners only hear what they want to hear, they screen out or ignore information that does not fit their preconceptions.
- Poor listeners listen not to process the entire message but only to reject.
- Poor listeners focus on areas of disagreement.
- Poor listeners are easily distracted by external factors such as noise and heat/cold.
- Poor listener make no effort to absorb difficult information,
- Poor listeners over-react to a speaker’s delivery rather than concentrating on what is being said ( 2003).
Behavior of Effective Listeners
- Focus on the messages being communicated by the other person.
- Critically evaluates what others are saying.
- Attempt to gain full, accurate, insight into other person’s communication
- Monitors the non-verbal signals accompanying the other person’s verbal messages.
- Conveys interest, concern and attention.
- Encourages full, open and honest expression.
- Develops and ‘other-centered’ approach during interaction.
- Reaches a shared and agreed understanding and acceptance with others about both sides’ goals and priorities.
- Have a strong commitment to the listening process.
- Realize that listening skills are neither instinctive nor eternal.
- Motivated to learn, practice, and reinforce their active listening skills.
- Display high self-confidence and self-assurance by listening effectively.
- Highly efficient in completing their and fulfilling their responsibilities.
- Demonstrate greater flexibility in resolving disagreements and conflicts.
- Participate more intelligently and effectively in conversations.
- As focused on their communication partner’s message as they are on their own.
- Make more decisions based on a solid foundation of facts and data and avoid reactionary conclusions.
- Suffer less embarrassment resulting from foolish mistakes or incompetent decisions.
- Successfully control the listening barriers that affect their reception of messages (Chambers 2001).
Negative Effects Poor Listening
There are numerous effects of poor listening. Let us discuss the negative impacts of poor listening on businesses and organizations. Poor listening is considered expensive. Individuals make many mistakes because of poor listening. Mistakes due to poor listening case embarrassment, irritate customers, alienate employees and, affect profits. Poor listening can lead to numerous problems including misunderstanding another person’s intentions, confusing an issue, missing valuable information, or antagonizing people (2002).
Benefits of Effective Listening
In organizations, as well as everybody’s personal life, the advantages of effective listening are almost endless. Listening has been shown to be a vital skill for successful managers, supervisors, and professional employees. According to (1994) misunderstandings are reduced, innovation increases, and morale improves at the workplace because of effective listening (cited in Harris 2002). Listening, is being linked by Bone (1988) with learning, building relationships, being entertained, making intelligent decisions, saving time, enjoying conversations, settling disagreements, getting the best value, preventing accidents and mistakes, asking intelligent questions, and making accurate evaluations (cited in 2002). In addition, it paves the way toward better personnel relationships, fewer mistakes and errors, more successful meetings, shared viewpoints and perspectives, a stronger culture, and a greater organizational cohesiveness ( 1985). Thus the benefits of effective listening are summarized below:
At Work
- Greater customer satisfaction
- Increased employee satisfaction
- Higher levels of productivity
- Fewer mistakes
- Improved sales figures
- More information sharing
- Greater innovation and creativity
Personally
- Better family relationships
- Improved social network
- Greater interpersonal enjoyment
- Improved self-esteem
- More close friends
- An enriched life ( 2003)
Conclusion
Based on the discussions above, it is clear that poor/ineffective listeners and effective demonstrate contrasting behaviors. Poor/ineffective listeners exhibit signs of impatience. They have little or no interest in the message. They lack the ability to comprehend or process the speakers’ message. Poor listeners are distracted by other concerns. They lack focus. Poor listeners are dishonest, they disrespectful of the speakers’ feelings. Effective listeners on the other hand focus on the speakers’ messages. They attempt to gain full and accurate understanding of the communicators’ messages. They monitor and interpret non-verbal signals effectively. They listen carefully before reacting or commenting on the message. They convey interest, concern and attention. They display high self-confidence and self-assurance by listening effectively. They participate intelligently and effectively on the communication process. I also found out that there are different barriers or obstacles to effective listening. These barriers are dichotomous listening, inattentiveness, individual bias, mental set and blocking. Ineffective listening is considered expensive. It affects the organization’s performance and profits. It also affects the satisfaction of the customers, employees as well as the managers. Poor listening causes embarrassment, conflicts and misunderstandings. Effective listening on the other hand is linked with learning, building relationships, enjoying conversations, settling disagreements, getting the best value, preventing accidents and mistakes, asking intelligent questions, and making accurate evaluations. In organizations, effective listening paves the way toward better personnel relationships, fewer mistakes and errors, more successful meetings, shared viewpoints and perspectives, a stronger culture, and a greater organizational cohesiveness.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment