We Spend a lot of Time Listening
Adults spend an average of 70% of their time engaged in some sort of communication.
Of this, research shows that an average of 45% is spent listening compared to 30% speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. (Adler, R. et al. 2001). That is, by any standards, a lot of time listening. It is worthwhile, therefore, taking a bit of extra time to ensure that you listen effectively.
Based on the research of: Adler, R., Rosenfeld, L. and Proctor, R. (2001)
Interplay: the process of interpersonal communicating (8th edn), Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt.
The Purpose of Listening
There is no doubt that effective listening is an extremely important life skill. Why is listening so important?
Listening serves a number of possible purposes, and the purpose of listening will depend on the situation and the nature of the communication.
To specifically focus on the messages being communicated, avoiding distractions and preconceptions.
To gain a full and accurate understanding into the speakers point of view and ideas.
To critically assess what is being said. (See our page on Critical Thinking for more).
To observe the non-verbal signals accompanying what is being said to enhance understanding.
To show interest, concern and concentration.
To encourage the speaker to communicate fully, openly and honestly.
To develop an selflessness approach, putting the speaker first.
To arrive at a shared and agreed understanding and acceptance of both sides views.
Often our main concern while listening is to formulate ways to respond. This is not a function of listening. We should try to focus fully on what is being said and how it's being said in order to more fully understand the speaker.
Effective listening requires concentration and the use of your other senses - not just hearing the words spoken.
Listening is not the same as hearing and in order to listen effectively you need to use more than just your ears.
See our page: The Ten Principles of Listening.
Further Reading from Skills You Need
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Learn more about the key communication skills you need to be a more effective communicator.
Our eBooks are ideal for anyone who wants to learn about or develop their interpersonal skills and are full of easy-to-follow, practical information.
Barriers to Effective Listening
To improve the process of effective listening, it can be helpful to turn the problem on its head and look at barriers to effective listening, or ineffective listening.
For example, one common problem is that instead of listening closely to what someone is saying, we often get distracted after a sentence or two and instead start to think about what we are going to say in reply or think about unrelated things. This means that we do not fully listen to the rest of the speaker’s message.
This problem is attributed, in part, to the difference between average speech rate and average processing rate. Average speech rates are between 125 and 175 words a minute whereas we can process on average between 400 and 800 words a minute. It is a common habit for the listener to use the spare time while listening to daydream or think about other things, rather than focusing on what the speaker is saying.
Of course the clarity of what the speaker is saying can also affect how well we listen. Generally we find it easier to focus if the speaker is fluent in their speech, has a familiar accent, and speaks at an appropriate loudness for the situation. It is more difficult, for example, to focus on somebody who is speaking very fast and very quietly, especially if they are conveying complex information.
We may also get distracted by the speaker’s personal appearance or by what someone else is saying, which sounds more interesting.
These issues not only affect you, but you are likely to show your lack of attention in your body language.
Generally, we find it much harder to control our body language, and you are likely to show your distraction and/or lack of interest by lack of eye contact, or posture. The speaker will detect the problem, and probably stop talking at best. At worse, they may be very offended or upset.
Our page on Barriers to Effective Listening explains more about common listening problems, and our page Listening Misconceptions details some of the common myths and misconceptions about listening.
Finally, it is important not to jump to conclusions about what you see and hear. You should always seek clarification to ensure that your understanding is correct.
See our pages: Clarification and Reflection for more information.
Active Listening Skills for Successful Communication
By Indeed Editorial Team
December 8, 2021
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This article has been approved by an Indeed Career Coach
Show TranscriptRelated video: Top Resume Skills
Communication skills are beneficial in and out of the workplace. Having the ability to clearly communicate instructions, ideas and concepts can help you find success in any career. With practice, anyone can develop their communication skills.
One of the most critical skills in effective communication is active listening. Developing this soft skill will help you build and maintain relationships, solve problems, improve processes and retain information such as instructions, procedures and expectations.
To help you understand active listening skills and learn how to improve your own, consider the following background and examples.
Looking to Hire? Post a Job on Indeed.com.
What is Active Listening?
Active listening is when you are fully aware and concentrate on what is being said rather than passively hearing what the speaker is trying to convey.
The goal of active listening is to acquire information, listen to understand people and situations before responding to it. It is the conscious decision to listen carefully and understand what people are trying to convey without being judgmental.
The listening ability can vary from person to person. But the good part is that it is a communication skill and can be acquired with time and patience. It is about focus and understanding and looking at things from different perspectives for the greater good.
Trivia!
Did you know, people spend between 70%-80% of their day engaged in some form of communication, and about 55% of their time is devoted to listening? But the question is, do they actively listen?
‘Active listening’ is the term first coined by psychologists, Carl Rogers and Richard Farson in 1957 in a paper of the same title.
They write;
‘Active listening is an important way to bring about changes in people. They indicate how clinical and research evidence clearly shows it as one of the most effective agents for individual personality change and group development. And also how active listening brings changes in peoples’ attitudes toward themselves and others; shaping their basic values and personal philosophy’.
Listening skills are an important part of effective communication
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By Bob Moulesong Times Correspondent
Last week's feature focused on communication skills and their importance in the workplace. This week's feature is about the other side of communication-listening skills.
Hearing is the physical ability, while listening is a skill. Listening skills allow one to make sense of and understand what another person is saying. In other words, listening skills allow people to understand what someone is talking about-the meaning behind the words.
The United States Department of Labor Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) identified five competencies and three foundation skills that are essential for those entering the workforce. Listening skills were among the foundation skills SCANS identified as being critical.
Good listening skills make workers more productive. The ability to listen carefully allows workers to better understand assignments they are given. They are able to understand what is expected of them by their management.
The ability to listen and to comprehend also allows workers to build a strong rapport with coworkers, managers, and clients. Employers and managers have confidence in workers that can listen to instructions and then do what is expected with minimal follow-up. Good listeners also have a better track record resolving problems with customers.
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Workers who listen well tend to work better in a team-based environment. Team members are usually assigned a portion of the work. Later, their completed tasks will need to fit in with other team members' results. Those who were able to listen well and perform accordingly will find their work results fit better than those who misunderstood.
Not everyone intuitively knows how to listen well. The following tips will help those who feel like they need a few pointers:
-Maintain eye contact with the speaker. This will demonstrate to the speaker that the listener is paying attention.
-Do not interrupt the speaker. Wait until he or she is completely finished, then ask questions. Listening long enough may answer several of the questions without the need to ask. When the time is right to ask, repeat instructions first and then ask appropriate questions.
-Control body language. As much as possible, sit still while listening. This implies that the listener is paying full attention to the speaker. A nod of the head can be good, as it implies agreement.
-A good listener knows that being attentive to what the speaker doesn't say is as important as being attentive to what he does say. Look for nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and posture to get the full gist of what the speaker is saying.
Beware of the following things that may get in the way of listening:
-Bias or prejudice against the idea or the speaker. This includes language differences or accents.
-Do not let worry, fear, or anger get in the way. Some people are resistant to change, and that can interfere with listening.
-Those with a lack of attention span can have trouble listening. Make sure this is not related to the fact that it is someone else's idea being listened to. Workers need to be mindful of their reactions.
The importance of effective listening skills for employees and managers cannot be overemphasized. Everything done in the workplace involves two-way communication-speaking and listening. Two-way communication is critical in the way it can impact efficiency and effectiveness.
When all members of a team are able to listen as well as speak effectively, they are much more likely to perform well. Effective communication is all about understanding what is being said, not just who says it.
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