Listen Up Folks!
THE ART of listening is fast disappearing in the corporate world. It has become exceedingly difficult to give a person time and attention, when they speak. Even when we speak to a colleague or a senior, our mind drifts away and is easily distracted, resulting in lack of attentive listening.
Today, communication is of paramount importance but it has come to mean only talking, speaking and writing. That listening too is equally important has been forgotten. Because, even when we do hear, we rarely pay attention and often forget what we hear.. There are many advantages if one can master the art of listening whole-heartedly.
Difficult as it is, attentive listening completes the process of effective communication. Focussed listening has many advantages; understanding instructions better is one of them. Further, if you are a salesman, you can connect with the customers by paying attention to what they have to say. Active listening leads to better relations among team members. Ideas are generated and problems are solved because comprehension starts with listening.
To listen attentively requires mental discipline. It's natural to drift, but an effort has to be made to train the mind. For one, your attitude of disinterest might be clear to others and this would make you appear rude. Further, you could be missing out on something important. It's all right if it's idle gossip, but an idea or a useful tip requires your utmost attention. So, make it a point to listen with attention, just as you would want to be heard when you speak. When listening, getting emotionally involved and agitated doesn't help, neither does jumping to conclusions. What's the point of listening when we already have an opinion, even before anything is said? Being objective is essential. One has to put aside all pre-conceived notions and focus on the content. This will help us gather information without prejudices and build a stronger relationship with others. Your interruption of the conversation only leads the other person away from what he wanted to convey. Let the other person finish what he/she is saying. If you don't, the point may be lost.
Everyone looks for support and a positive reaction from others when speaking. Saying, `I understand', or `it's true' helps. If you disagree, don't be blunt, rather, say, `Don't you think that this is a better proposition?' or `I really do not think so' etc. While saying the right things is important, non-verbal communication is also essential; a nod, a smile or even a frown when appropriate signifies interested listening.
A person speaking thinks slowly as compared to the person listening. Use this time gap to make points mentally about what is being said. This will help you ask pertinent questions at the end and also remember and retain the important ideas or points for future use.
At the end, recapitulate what was said, restate the point, ask for a clarification if needed, or just nod and smile if all you had to do was be sympathetic. It is an immensely satisfying experience to be heard and that's what most people look for when they speak. So, be a good listener to them.
This way you have not only learned something from the conversation but also pleased the other person. Attentive listening results in better comprehension of information, it helps people connect and creates better understanding. In this day and age, where chaos rules, the clarity and focus that attentive listening brings can only be to your advantage.
UZMA HYDER
faqs@cnkonline
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