EDITORIAL FEATURE
Are You Listening
or a Listener-In-Training?
By Rita Santamaria
H
igh ranking military officers, surgeons,
CEOs, and people not accustomed to taking orders are not the best listeners, we
are told. On the other hand, actors and
athletes, for example, are good listeners as they
are accustomed to being coached.
Some people do not listen because they just
don’t want to. Others consider themselves multitaskers and believe they can do many different
tasks at one time. In doing so, they’re unable to
listen attentively because they are distracted by
multiple activities taking place simultaneously.
Here are some suggestions for being
a listener-in-training:
•
Be aware of listening to the speaker.
•
Prepare to listen by focusing on the speaker.
Put other concerns or distractions out of
your mind so you are not sidetracked.
•
Don’t doodle; don’t look at the computer
screen; and don’t glance at your cell phone.
These are behaviors that distract the listening process. They also send messages to the
speaker that you are bored at best and not
interested in the least.
•
•
Not only are you listening for the verbal but
you are listening for inflection, pitch, volume, and body language. The verbal may be
saying one thing while the body language is
saying something different. The messages
may be simple but the inflection and volume of the conversation may increase the
importance of the message by the sender.
Don’t interrupt the speaker. Waiting until
the speaker has finished talking is just good
manners. Wait until the speaker has finished their talk or conversation and then
12 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ AUGUST 2015 ]
Some people do not listen because
they just don’t want to. Others consider themselves multitaskers and believe they
can do many different tasks at one time.
In doing so, they’re unable to listen
attentively because they are distracted
by multiple activities taking place
simultaneously.
add your thoughts. And, don’t start thinking in advance about what your reply will
be as that is also a distraction to your listening skills.
•
If you are starting out an important conversation with someone, it is acceptable to
ask them to listen carefully to what you are
saying. If you are in a management conversation with an employee, take the time
to put these important words in writing as
well. Asking the parties to sign the words
on paper to verify receipt is a typical and
important ritual during a review.
•
To be a good listener, you must be in the
present mind, focused on the other person,
and considerate of giving someone