BARRIERS TO
LISTENING
TAE SUNG PARK
ASCHEL SOZA
MAGDELINE WANG
S
WHAT IS LISTENING?
S Hearing with a purpose
S Absorption of the meaning of words and sentences by the
brain
S Leads to understanding of facts and ideas
S Unlike hearing, listening takes attention and requires
concentration
WHY IS LISTENING SO
IMPORTANT?
S Studies shows that we spend 80% of our waking hours
communicating
S At least 45% of that time is spent LISTENING
S Listening is the communication task that our customer
representatives spend almost 50 percent of their time doing
Eg. Staff at the customer service department will need to listen
and understand the complaints customer file
Eventhough LISTENING is a primary activity in our daily lives,
most individuals are said to be inefficient listeners.
BARRIERS TO LISTENING
There are a few barriers to listening that can affect effective conversation;
here are the 6 barriers that can be encountered in our daily lives.
Trying to listen to more than one conversation
at a time
S This includes having the television or radio on while
attempting to listen
S Being on the phone to one person and talking to another
person in the same room
Find the communicator attractive or
unattractive
S You tend to pay more attention to what you feel about them
than what they are trying to say.
S
Not interested in the TOPIC
S The topic of discussion become bored – you will lose the
‘listener’s’ attention
S
Preconceived ideas or bias
S open-minded
S Not to agree, but to attempt to understand
Messages are too complex
S much information
e.g. listen to what TaeSung says
S Listeners may get confused and eventually, stops listening
Interruption
S most people are so busy talking or thinking about what they
are going to say next
S “People are fired, customers are lost, and working relationships
are strained because of ineffective listening. Likewise,
friendships suffer, marriages fail, and families grow apart when
individuals fail to listen with genuine concern.” -Cheesebro,
O’Connor, and Rios – authors of Communication Skills
HOW DO WE IMPROVE OUR LISTENING
SKILLS?
HERE’s HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR
LISTENING SKILLS
S Minimize both internal and external distractions
S You can’t always get rid of a headache, but you can close the
windows if the driver of a truck is outside revving his engine.
S Adjust your listening to the situation.
S If you’re listening to a lecture for an exam in Biology class,
you’ll want to pay closer attention than if you’re watching the
local news. In the former situation, you’ll probably take notes.
S Stay focused on the subject & keep an open mind
S It’s easy to let your mind wander, especially if the subject isn’t
important to you. Train yourself to concentrate. Be aware of
your own biases. It’s important that we recognize our own
biases. Simply put, keep an open mind.
S Show you’re listening by your nonverbal communication.
S You might nod, shake your head, or raise your eyebrows.
Adjust your posture accordingly. Make eye contact.
S Demonstrate empathy
S
When you’re listening to a friend with a problem, show her
you understand what she is going through.
S Don’t interrupt.
S Let the person finish what he is saying before you explain your
point of view or ask questions.
S Don’t prejudge a person’s message by the way he looks.
S You can learn something from almost anyone. Each of us is
different with our own quirks and peculiarities. Instead of
focusing on distracting behaviors, concentrate on what the
speaker is saying.
As stated by the ancient Greek philospher, Diogenes said,
“We have two ears and only one tongue in
order that we may hear more and speak less.”
THE END