Speaking and Listening
Speaking and listening
Why are communication skills important?
Communication is the heart of every organization.Everything you do in the workplace results fromcommunication. Therefore, good reading, writing,speaking and listening skills are important if tasksare going to be completed and goals achieved. Asyou developed your career, you will find differentreasons why successful communications areimportant to you. For example:
OTo secure an interview
OTo get the job
OTo do your job well
OTo advance in your career
In business area, oral communication can take varietyof forms it can be over the telephone or face-to-face. Itcan also be:
OA private discussion
O A conversation over lunch
OA gossip in the lift
OA telephone conversation
OA chance meeting in the corridor
OAn informal gathering of staff
OInstructing subordinates
ODealing with clients
OFormal meetings
OInterviews
OTraining sessions
OGiving a presentation
OConferences /seminars
Most people find talking easier than writingbecause phrases can sometimes be used inspeech that would not be appropriate in awritten communication.
Basic listening skills
Listening means (decoding and interpreting correctly).Good listeners are rare these days. In fact, someresearchers suggest that we listen at only 25 percentefficiency. Studies have shown that most listeners retainless than 50% of what they hear. Imagine what that meanswhen it comes to a conversation that you might have withyour boss, a colleague or a customer. If you speak for tenminutes, chances are that you have only heard about halfof that conversation-and so have they. No wondermiscommunications happen so frequently.
Listening skills
If you are to understand why oral messages are sooften unsuccessful, you must understand the listeningprocess. Here are six stages of listening process:
OReceiving
OInterpreting
ORemembering
OEvaluating
OResponding
OActing
Barrier to effective listening
If you are to become a good listener, it’s important tobe familiar with and conquer a number of physical andmental obstacles. These include:
Pre-judgment
Selfishness
Selective listening
Language problems
Non-verbal distraction
Thought speed
Faking attention
The difference between a good listener and a bad one.
A bad listener
OIs easily distracted
ODaydream
OFakes attention
OTunes out dryer subjects
OTunes out if delivery is poor
OTends to argue
OReacts to emotion
A good listener
OMakes the most of the opportunity
OFights distractions
OMake an effort to concentrate
OUses body language to show attention
OAsks “what is in this for me”?
OConsiders the facts and data
OForgives delivery errors
OJudges content over the delivery
OInterrupts only to clarify
OGives speaker a chance before judging
OIs not obsessed with emotional words
OConsiders evidence
Techniques for effective listening
Prepare to listen: clear your mind so that your attention is assured.
Avoid pre-judgment: don’t pre-judge the speaker because ofappearance
Be opened mind: appraise the speaker’s point of view.
Establish eye contact: this shows the speaker that you are listeningwhen you give facial expressions
Don’t interrupt: to keep your argument until the speaker finisheshis point.
Watch for signals: pick up some aspects that the speakerconsiders important by watching his body language and listeninghis intonation of voice
Judge for content: appraise the content instead of the speaker.Consider the main points and ask if they make sense.
Extract points: pick out and repeat to yourself some keywords
Give feedback: learn to give positive feedback by nodding orsmiling
Block out distraction: fight distractions by working hard atlistening, closing the doors, turning off the TV, or radio.
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