Listening Skills

Introduction

Barriers to listening take many forms. It is inevitable that barriers will exist in
any interaction, but anything which stops concentration, allowing the mind to
wander off the topic, must be recognised and overcome if fully successful
communication is to take place.

Environmental Barriers

The following, if encountered, can make us switch off from what is being said,
to allow our minds to temporarily concentrate on our surroundings:

• the room too hot or too cold
• the chair uncomfortable
• the lighting too bright or too dim
• draughts
• bad ventilation; stuffy/smoky atmosphere
• noise
• sights
• smells
• interruptions

Linguistic Barriers

Linguistic barriers derive from the speaker and make it difficult for them to be listened to:

• jargon or specialist language
• complex sentences
• complex vocabulary
• patronising manner
• delivery too fast
• delivery too slow and ponderous
• monotonous voice
• hesitant manner
• inappropriate tone
• badly organised material
• delivery too loud
• delivery too quiet

Psychological Barriers

Emotional states which are brought to the communication or result from it can
come between what is being said and effective listening and understanding:

• own anxiety
• anger
• frustration, inability to put across ideas
• status difference
• prejudice

Physiological Barriers

The physical condition of the listener can affect concentration and restrict
the amount of information taken in:

• headache
• tiredness
• discomfort, pain, illness
• poor eyesight
• hearing impairment

Perceptual Barriers

The speaker and the listener sometimes see the same situation from a
different point of view and this can affect understanding (e.g. parent and child).
Examples of other perceptual barriers are:

• social/cultural background differences
• attitude unexpected
• expectations different
• appearance of speaker
• mannerisms
• accents

Content Barrier

What the speaker is saying may also be a barrier to the listener:

• subject of the discussion does not interest us
• speaker goes on for too long
• speaker is saying what we don't want to hear
• you have heard it all before
• content is too difficult/simplistic
• content is repetitious

Personal Barriers

The listener may put up personal barriers:

• preoccupied with own problems
• thinking about own response without hearing speaker
• looking for every opportunity to interrupt
• monopolising the conversation, dominant speaking

Why should we practise listening?

There are many reasons why listening skills are important:

• What the person is saying is important to them. To give less than your full attention
  shows lack of respect for the person's views.
• If full attention is not given to all the person has to say, assumptions can be made
  which distort full understanding.
• Vital information can be missed if our minds get sidetracked.
• If we concentrate fully on the speaker, we also listen to the unspoken message. We listen on two levels; firstly to the content and secondly to the non verbal signals.
• A good listener encourages and facilitates effective communication.

How can listening skills be improved?

What can be done to improve listening. Here are some suggestions:

• Practise concentrating. If you listen to a ten minute news broadcast how much of it can you remember?
• Use spare thinking time more effectively. Think about what the speaker is saying and what the non verbal signals are telling you.
• Practise mentally summarising what the speaker is saying. Listen for main ideas.
• Listen analytically. Where is the evidence for what is being said?
• Without interrupting, join in the conversation by asking for clarification.
• Make encouraging noises to let the speaker know that you are still interested.
• Maintain good eye contact. Show in your posture that you are interested in what is being said.

Remember that listening is not a passive activity. It is hard work and needs patience, sensitivity and above all practise.