Factors for Influencing Listening In order to better understand

Language facility
The ability to segment and analyze speech accurately and automatically into
appropriate units is very important when listening to spoken language.
Vocabulary
Knowledge of the vocabulary used by the speaker is another quality for good
listening comprehension
Background knowledge.
Background knowledge about a topic is also an important variable that can
influence listening. Even if a person has mastered the skill of analyzing
speech accurately and automatically, lack of basic background knowledge
can cause reduced listening comprehension (Samuels, 1984).
Speech registers.
Speech registers refer to the different styles of language a person uses in a
given social context.
Different Levels of Listening
Listening is a learned skill and does not happen automatically for most people.
Listening is the most important component of being a successful supervisor.
Effective listening clears up misunderstandings, builds successful business and
personal relationships, helps in developing respect, and establishing a feeling of
cooperation. There are rewards for listening as well as punishments for not listening.
Some of the punishments for not listening are poor decision making, conflict, or a
crisis because a problem was not identified in time. (Burley-Allen, 2001).Three levels
of listening will be described. Effective communication increases as a person moves
from level 3 understanding to level 1 understanding. The potential for
understanding and retention is highest when a person is at level 1. People listen at
different levels of efficiency throughout the day. This depends on their
circumstances, their attitudes about the other person, and past experiences. People
frequently have a hard time listening effectively
when in a conflict situation, when dealing with emotional people, when having
criticism
directed at them, when being disciplined or when feeling anxious, fearful or angry
(BurleyAllen,
2001, para. 11).
Level 1
A person at level 1 has the essential characteristics necessary to be a good listener.
At this level of listening, a person seeks for areas of interest in the speaker's

message; he or she views listening as a chance to learn new and valuable

information. Effective listeners are conscious of their own attitudes and personal
biases. They are better able to avoid making automatic judgments about the
speaker and to avoid being influenced by emotionally charged words. Good
listeners delay judgment and are empathetic to the other person's feelings. They
look at the situation from the other person's point of view and ask questions to find
out more information rather than prejudging the person or the message. Level 1
listeners are able to anticipate the speaker's next statement, create a summary of
the stated message in their heads, question or evaluate the message, and are
aware of nonverbal cues. Their overall focus is to listen with understanding and
respect (Burley-Allen, 2001, para. 14).
Level 2
On this level, a person is mostly listening to the words and the content of what the
speaker is saying, but he or she does not truly comprehend what the words mean.
This results in a confusion of the meaning of words. The English vocabulary contains
thousands of words. The average adult in the United States uses 500 of these
words most often. However, each one of these words has between 20 and 25
meanings. This means that we are using 500 words with the possibility of 12,500
different meanings (Burley-Allen, 2001, para. 15). The meanings of words are even
more confusing as a person uses slang, which has double meanings. The main point
to all of this is that words do not actually communicate. Communication is
contingent upon the meaning and the understanding of words. For example, level 2
listeners focus on words, which leads to missing the objective, such as what is being
expressed nonverbally through tone of voice, body posture, gestures, facial
expression, and eye movement. They only hear what the speaker is saying and
make a minimal effort to understand the speakers intent (Burley-Allen, 2001).
Level 3
On this level, people are more focused on talking than on listening. They tune out
the speaker, daydream, form opposing opinions, and fake attention while thinking
about unrelated matters. Level 3 listening results in relationship breakdowns,
conflicts and poor decision making because the person is busy finding fault, being
closed-minded to what is being
said that they disagree with, responding
defensively, or becoming emotionally involved. All of this influences either the
speaker or the listener to become defensive (Burley-Allen, 2001). A supervisor of a
company finds many benefits when listening effectively at level 1. When the
employees realize that their supervisor is a listener and not a judgmental superior,
they are more willing to suggest ideas and share feelings. When this effective
communication occurs, the supervisor and the employee are able to function as a
team and solve problems rather than
blame others. As an effective listener, a supervisor creates an encouraging, as well
as mutually rewarding, process by paying attention to the employee and what he or
she is saying. This empathetic listening encourages trust and integrity in the
employee. It also encourages self confidence in the employee, which can empower
them to do better in their work (Burley-Allen,2001).Knowing about the three levels
of listening (level 1true listening, level 2misunderstood listening, level 3

uninterested listening) is not only beneficial to supervisors,but to anyone involved in

the communication process.
Facts about Listening
Listening is mostly an underdeveloped skill, yet is one of the greatest gifts that
people can give themselves for their future success and personal well-being.
Studies have shown that 70 to 80 percent of life is spent communicating. Of this
time, 45 percent is listening, 30 percent is speaking, 16 percent is reading, and 9
percent is writing. A person needs to imagine what is being missed if almost half of
peoples time is spent listening. The good part to this equation is that listening is a
skill that can be learned and improved. Like a sport or musical instrument, listening
takes practice and dedication. Yet, listening is unlike sports or music in the fact that
results can be experienced quickly. Even a small effort will bring remarkable results
(Ward, 1990). The question may then be asked, How does someone listen? Do
people listen with their ears, their eyes, their touch, or do they listen while worrying
about bills, planning a vacation, or looking for a new job? Does someone daydream,
allow distractions, fake attention, or jump to conclusions? Listening is an art; and in
order to perfect it, people must take responsibility for at least their 50 percent of
the communication process. Like prospecting for gold, a person may never know
when they might strike it rich (Ward, 1990, para. 3). Evidence of this can be seen in
the following example. Chester Carlson approached more than 200 companies
trying to sell his idea to make copies from ordinary paper (xerography) nobody
listened. One company finally did listen; the rest is history (Jacobson, 1989). With
this example, a person can see the importance of listening and communication.
Communicating involves an attitude as well as the skills of speaking, observing,
questioning, and listening. A person must "think" communication in order to make
communication work. A person needs to keep the thought in mind that there is
something valuable to think while listening and that wisdom and knowledge is about
to be revealed. If nothing seems to be happening, a person starts asking questions.
Be an information gatherer. It's the open road to discovery (Ward, 1990,para. 4).
By identifying facts of listening, listeners are able to recognize the importance
listening plays in everyday life. By studying the different areas of listening, listeners
are able recognize areas of communication in which they need improvement.
Ways to Improve Listening Skills
Once the listening process is understood,
A person must apply what he or she has learned in order to become a better
communicator. Improvement is not always an easy task; but with practice,
improvement will occur. People can improve their listening skills by deciding
to be a better listener, concentrating, keeping an open mind, and giving
feedback. Decide to be a better listener. School teaches students to read,
write, do math, and dozens of other topics; however, schools typically do not
have a course in listening. And yet, listening is an important and crucial skill.
The first step to becoming a better listener is personal commitment to being
a better listener. A person must decide now to become a better listener, and
he or she must work at it (Friedman 2004). Unless someone listens, no
communication takes place. Good listening begins with the right attitude
open, cheerful, and accepting. Then, a person should put himself or herself in

the process by "thinking" communication (Ward, 1990). Concentrate. The

mind processes information much faster than the normal rate of speech; and
because of this ability, a mind can half-listen and do other things at the same
time. A persons brain solves other problems, thinks about what the person is
going to say next, and occupies itself thinking about many other activities
(Friedman, 2004). Often when people talk to each other, they dont listen
attentively. They are oftendistracted, half listening, half thinking about
something else. Communication is a two-way
street, and one in which listening is frequently swept to the curb. Listening
requires a person to
slow down and pay close attention, and this idea does not fit in with the busy
lifestyles that havmost people doing multiple things at the same time
(Bennett, 1999). The mind needs to be disciplined to pay full attention to a
person who is speaking and to listen closely. Even when listening closely,
little things can be distracting, like a regional accent, or someone who speaks
too rapidly, or when the speaker is discussing an uninteresting topic. A
person should not be easily distracted; he or she needs to concentrate
(Friedman, 2004).
Another part of listening is looking.
Does a person only hear what he or she wants tohear and forget about the
rest? A person begins building listening skills by noticing little details. A
person should be a detective. People should let their eyes support their ears
if only for the reason that they won't learn if they don't listen. Children learn
their native languages simply by listeninga persons listening ability is
inhibited by allowing distractions and by not paying attention. While listening,
one should be involved in a mental evaluation of what is happening by
listening and looking (Ward, 1990). A listener should concentrate on the
person speaking. A good listener makes sure that he or she is close enough
toand looking atthe speaker to observe his or her facial expressions.
Facial expressions, gestures, and posture all convey the speakers thoughts;
so a listener should pay attention to them. Listeners should remember that
most communication is nonverbal. A listener should make eye contact by
looking at the person long enough to notice the color of his or her eyes,
without staring. Even when its the listeners turn to speak, he or she should
continue to listen with his or her eyes (Brittin, 2005).
Keep an open mind
Not interrupting the speaker will go a long way toward curing the problem of
poor listening habits. By carefully listening and letting the speaker finish what
he or she is saying, the person speaking can be completely heard out.
Listeners should avoid jumping to conclusions. This is an important step in
the direction of keeping an open mind and solving the real problem
(Friedman, 2004). Differences exist between "facts" and assumptions." A
factual statement is usually made after an observation. An assumption can
be made at any timebefore, during, or after an observation or even with no
observation at all. Facts should be used as much as possible. A good listener

is objective and not judgmental. Personal impressions and biases affect what
is heard. So, an individual should keep an open mind (Friedman, 2004).
Give feedback
Listeners can let the speaker know they are listening by asking question or by
reaffirming or restating the speakers message. Author Rudyard Kipling
explained the skill of questioning in these words: "I keep six honest servingmen. They taught me all I knew. Their names are What and Where and When
and How and Why and Who" (Koehl, 2005, para. 61). If these servants are
given attention, the different roles they provide will be realized. When a
persons interest leans toward the factual, he or she should use Who, Where,
and When (close ended questions that usually elicit one-word responses).
What, Why, and How (open-ended) push the door of discovery wide open.
Any reporter or public relations professional will confirm the value of asking
relevant questions (Ward, 1990). Questions are tools of listening. A listener
should assume an attitude of the reporter, the seeker, the gathererlistening
is a state of mind, an attitude. Why shouldnt a person plan communication
exchanges, prepare, and have a purpose? It is not unlike the salesman who
plans a presentation by first thinking of all the questions that might be asked
and preparing a response for each. Preparation allows freedom to actively
listen and permits a persons voice and body to express the feelings of the
moment. Listeners should respond with happiness, joy, regret, fear,
enthusiasm, concern, disgust, surprise, or careful understanding (Ward,
1990, para. 6). To encourage the communication process, listeners should
restate important facts, use examples, anecdotes, and emotion. Most of all,
people should be honest and let their body actions support their words (Ward,
1990). Poor listening is overcome by deciding to be a better listener,
concentrating, keeping an open mind, and giving feedback. The
communication skills obtained from practicing these methods are priceless.
Summary and Conclusion
Effective listening is a skill that most people have not properly developed
throughout their lives. This skill is vital for successful communication. The purpose
of this report is to discuss the listening process and identify ways to develop
effective listening skills. The areas discussed include the differences in hearing and
listening, factors for influencing listening, different levels of listening, facts about
listening, and ways to improve listening skills. Listening and hearing are two very
different processes. Hearing is only taking the information into ones mind. Listening
involves actively processing information and increasing knowledge by retaining the
main points and ideas. Many factors including intelligence, language facility,
vocabulary, background knowledge, and speech registers, influence the listening
process. A person can increase his or her listening comprehension by understanding
these basic factors. Listening can be divided into three different levels. Level 1
listening is the most desirable because this is where effective communication
transpires. Listening is an underdeveloped skill that can be learned and improved. In
order to improve listening skills, one must first decide to become a better listener,
then concentrate, keep an open mind, and give feedback. Each of these ways to
improve listening encourages the listening process and leads to good

communication. By overcoming the problem of poor listening skills, success will be

achieved on the path to effective communication.