S E L F T R A IN IN G B O O K L E T

ACTIVE LISTENING SKILLS

TEAM WORK
 Active Listening,
the bridge to good communication.

The reason why we have two ears

and only one mouth is that we may
listen the more and talk the less.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Published by ST University
© Copyright, November ‘93
STMicroelectronics
Release nº 1
 Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1
The need to listen................................................................................................... 4
Communication Process....................................................................................... 5
Communication Time............................................................................................ 7
Listening Techniques ............................................................................................ 9
Hearing the message............................................................................................ 9
Interpreting the message ...................................................................................... 9
Evaluating the message ..................................................................................... 10
Responding to the message ............................................................................... 10
Listening tools..................................................................................................... 11
Styles of listening................................................................................................. 14
Barriers to Communication ................................................................................. 14
Bridges to Communication.................................................................................. 15
Your Strengths and Weaknesses in Listening
(Where do we stand?) .......................................................................................... 18
Effective Guidelines to Active Listening............................................................ 20
Summary and Conclusion ................................................................................... 22
 1
I. INTRODUCTION

In our approach to Total Quality Management, it is clearly stated that we have to be good
communicators to function in a team-based organization.

That means we have to be active listeners, that team members and team leaders need to get
all the necessary skills to become effective listeners.

This booklet is the second of the following series of booklets related to teamwork:
- Effective team meeting skills (released October 93)
- ACTIVE LISTENING SKILLS
- Leaders and members skills
- Conflict management skills
- Participation facilitation skills
- Consensus
- Others.

Each section will include easy “self-tests” to be completed as a reminder, and to lead the team
to an open discussion. You are encouraged to express your own views and opinions, and to
explore other possibilities during your team discussion. Answers are not always 100% Yes or
No.

The purpose of this self-training booklet is to be read, filled in and discussed with team
members at the beginning of your team meeting. It should not take more than 30 minutes.

The objective of this booklet is simple: to be conscious and aware of having done things
correctly or wrongly and to improve, next time, the listening skills. This booklet should be
repeatedly used from time to time to help progress.

By completing this booklet on Active Listening, you will be able to:

- Learn the basics of effective listening skills
- Learn to identify and apply good listening behaviors
- Understand the importance of good listening skills as applied in the work environment
- Learn the causes and reasons for problems and figure out what can be done about
them.

Active Listening Skills: Introduction

2
Self-Test (5 min.)
Active Listening in Team Meetings

Instruction: Consider each of the following statements and indicate whether you agree
or disagree with each statement based on previous team meetings.

YES / NO

1. You find it difficult to listen to complex topics. ________

2. You always feel impatient when a speaker tends to talk longer than the
time allocated for him. ________
3. You are easily distracted by sounds and movements inside the meeting
room. ________
4. You take notes on all the things that the speaker talks about. ________
5. You remember, at some point in time, something you want to do while the
speaker is presenting. ________
6. There are instances where team members have their own private talks
while the speaker is talking. ________
7. You often observe your team members feeling bored, sleepy or restless
while the meeting is going on. ________
8. You immediately refuse to listen to the speaker when you are not in
agreement with the speaker’s statement without letting him point out his ________
opinion thoroughly.
9. You like the speaker only because he relates many jokes / stories in his
presentation. ________
10. You or other team members bring other work-related materials to your
meeting so you can read them when you are bored. ________
11. You are hesitant to ask for clarification when you cannot understand the
speaker’s statement. ________
12. You have asked a question but you still could not get the speaker’s ________
explanation very well. You don’t want to rephrase what he just said
because others may see you as foolish.

Optional: Once you’ve answered on an individual basis, discuss the possible answers
within your group (5 min.)

See last page for recommended responses.

Active Listening Skills: Introduction

 3

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK,

O
O
B UD
IC E
A PR
E J
T OL
D

OTHERS ARE SUPPOSED TO LISTEN

LET’S TUNE-UP OUR EARS... READY!

Active Listening Skills: Introduction

4
II. THE NEED TO LISTEN

Listening is the “receiving” part of communication. Nearly half of the communication time is
spent on listening. Listening is:
1. Receiving information
2. Understanding
3. Evaluating the message
4. Giving feedback to the speaker

Examples of work-related activities which involve listening...

- in meetings and briefings
- in one-on-one sessions (interviews, performance appraisals)
- in giving / receiving instructions
- in training and public presentations
- in using the telephone
- in coaching discussions
- in marketing / selling of products
- in helping internal / external customers
- in supporting other departments

Can you name your own work-related activities that involve listening?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Active Listening Skills: The need to listen

 5
A. COMMUNICATION PROCESS

EVALUATE
MESSAGE!
MESSAGE

UNDERSTAND
MESSAGE?

SENDER RECEIVER

FEEDBACK

Importance of Active Listening:

- Improves relationships between people
- Results in making others good listeners as well
- Improves problem solving skills
- Increases job satisfaction
- Improves communication, trust, respect among team members
- Builds teamwork.

Active Listening Skills: The need to listen

6
Self-Test (5 min.)
The need to listen

Instruction: Respond to each of the following questions based on the material

presented in this module (“The Need to Listen”) and on your own opinion.

1. The four (4) major components of active listening are:

1. ____________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________

2. Cite five (5) reasons why there is a need to become active listeners:
1. ____________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________

3. Cite three (3) situations where active listening is not practiced:

1. ____________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________

4. Select the three (3) true statements on importance of listening. Put a tick (√) mark
on the statements you choose:

† 1. Listening increases job satisfaction † 4. Listening improves communication

† 2. It helps to gather more facts to use † 5. Listening helps to discover
as a weapon to criticize others weaknesses of others
† 3. It builds relationships † 6. it benefits oneself more than others
5. The four (4) parts of a Communication Process are:
1. ____________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________

Optional: Once you’ve answered on an individual basis, discuss the possible answers
within your group (5 min.).

See last page for recommended responses.

Active Listening Skills: The need to listen

 7
B. COMMUNICATION TIME

As long as we are familiar with the vocabulary, a normal adult CAN

LISTEN without a significant loss of comprehension to as much as
500 WORDS A MINUTE which is faster than any of us speaks except
in short bursts and under special and urgent circumstances.

In ordinary, casual conversation, WE STILL SPEAK at a fair clip, a

range between 200-300 WORDS, an average of about 250 words per
minute, which leaves the listener with about TWICE AS MUCH
MENTAL TIME as they need to get the message.

When we address a group or deliver A LECTURE, we usually lower

the rate - to about 125 WORDS PER MINUTE. The listener has 4 x
THE MENTAL TIME THEY NEED TO GET THE MESSAGE.

Thus, a skilled listener will use the extra time to their advantage to
enhance and reinforce what they hear, to relate the message to their
own experience... to fit into a larger context.

Active Listening Skills: The need to listen

8
Lets have a break...

A TEST OF YOUR CREATIVITY!

(Self-Assessment Exercise)

On each number, read the instructions. Then, immediately start. You have 5 minutes to
complete these exercises.

1. Describe how you could cut

this piece of cheese into eight
equal pieces with only three cuts.

2. By drawing or adding one line,

convert this odd number into
an even number.

1 5 9 13

3. How many squares are there

2 6 10 14
in this figure? 3 7 11 15
4 8 12 16

Active Listening Skills: The need to listen

 9
III. LISTENING TECHNIQUES

Active Listening leads to effective communication. Effective listeners HEAR and SELECT
information from the speaker, give it meaning, determine how the speaker feels about it and
respond in a matter of seconds. Only in this way is it possible to frame listening. It requires an
ability to LISTEN for FEELINGS as well as words.

A. HEARING THE MESSAGE

1. Listening actively
Concentrate for the main theme of the discussion and specific ideas and facts. Be alert and
ask questions. Check your posture. Sit up straight and look directly at the speaker.

2. Listen objectively
Understand the speaker’s point of view. Put aside your biases (resentments, personal
objectives, conflicts, interests, etc.) on a topic.

3. Listen analytically to the presentation

Recognize the theme, then the key ideas, the supporting facts and other details.

B. INTERPRETING THE MESSAGE

4. Listen to the sender’s meaning for words

Come to a mutual understanding of the speaker’s meaning. Good listeners know that a match-
up in meaning is a match-up in understanding.

5. Determine the main points

Look for the structure of the message and mentally review the material that has gone before.
The main points can come at the beginning, middle or end of a message. Usefulness of the
message can be determined through the main points.

6. Understand the non-verbal cues

Gestures, facial expression, eyes and postures are non-verbal cues or body languages that
either confirm or deny the message of the words and tone of voice. Ask for clarification or
repetition if you are not sure of the speaker’s meaning.

Active Listening Skills: Listening Techniques

10
C. EVALUATING THE MESSAGE

7. Listen with empathy and understanding

Gather all of the key information before forming an opinion. Weigh and analyze all of the
evidences before making a decision. An empathic listener puts himself in the source’s
shoes and understands the problem from the sender’s point of view.

8. Suspend judgment
Avoid making judgment about the speaker or the message. Understand the speaker’s intent in
what he wants to convey. Respect and recognize his point of view. Paraphrase or clarify if
you are not sure of what he has said.

D. RESPONDING TO THE MESSAGE

9. Provide feedback
Listeners must provide feedback to the speaker in order to complete the communication
process. An active listener will try to inform the speaker that he has heard, understood and
evaluated appropriately the main message. A good feedback should be relevant and timely. It
should be based on facts and should relate to what’s happening at that time.

10. Control your emotion

As listeners, you may experience different levels of emotion to what the speaker says.
“Loaded” words or statements can make you react emotionally. To control this, you must
identify what triggers you, understand your responses and develop the ability to listen
objectively and attentively without interrupting.

Active Listening Skills: Listening Techniques

 11
E. LISTENING TOOLS

TECHNIQUE/
PURPOSE EXAMPLE
DEFINITIONS

1. Open-ended questions - To collect information How do you feel now?

Questions which start with: - To get responses What do you think is the
HOW? WHAT? WHY? - To maintain a neutral, non cause of the problem?
WHICH? emotional climate

2. Landry Lists - To get information What do you see is a major

Questions which give you - To express preferences, problem: high turnover rate,
choices, possibilities, choices absenteeism or lack of
options, alternatives - To evaluate among motivation?
choices

3. Supposing - To let people think from a If you were in Paul’s

Questions which allow the different point of view situation, how would you
other person to fantasize, to handle the situation?
explore someone else’s
attitudes or points of view

4. Echoing/Clarifying/ - To let the sender know that Are you saying...

Confirming we receive the message If I understand you correctly,
Questions which clarify or - To test the accuracy of the what you said was...
confirm if the message sent message received
is what the sender really
meant - or - if you have in
fact heard the message
correctly

5. Reassurance - To keep a difficult dialogue I see

Express concern and
“understanding” for the
sender
moving forward That’s interesting
- To encourage sender to
continue to communicate
with you
- To show empathy

Note: Direct questions differ from open-ended questions as they require a specific
answer. Questions answerable by Yes or No, questions that start with Do, Can,
May, Are, Is, Could, Will, Shall, etc., or a simple phrase will fall under this
category. Direct questions are not considered as one of the listening tools since
this technique doesn’t encourage people to express or explore ideas fully.

Active Listening Skills: Listening Techniques

12
Self-Test (5 min.)
Listening Techniques

Instruction: Encircle the appropriate letter which identifies the listening tool given.

1. Are you able to work on shifts?

a. Open-ended question b. Direct question c. Laundry list

2. If you were Ann, what would you do?

a. Laundry list b. Supposing c. Echoing

3. I’ve felt that way also. Tell me more about it.

a. Echoing b. Open-ended question c. Reassurance

4. In other words, Luke disagreed with your instructions?

a. Echoing b. Supposing c. Laundry list

5. Is lack of staff, low-esteem or absenteeism your major problem?

a. Open-ended question b. Laundry list c. Direct question

6. You said you’re going to look for another car?

a. Supposing b. Echoing c. Reassurance

7. Which of the jobs you have held in the last five years do you like best?
a. Direct question b. Laundry list c. Supposing

8. What do you recommend to get the job done?

a. Direct question b. Open-ended question c. Laundry list

9. Don’t stop talking. I want to hear more about your problem.

a. Echoing b. Reassurance c. Open-ended question

10. Why did John go?

a.Direct Question b.Open-ended question c. Supposing

Optional: Once you’ve answered on an individual basis, discuss the possible answers
within your group (5 min.)

See last page for recommended responses.

Active Listening Skills: Listening Techniques

 13

REMINDER...

Š Note key phrases

Š Use words association
(to help you connect to the speaker’s message)
Š Use pauses
(an opportunity to repeat mentally what was said
by the speaker)
Š Repeat main points mentally

ACTIVE LISTENING REQUIRES EFFORT,

CONCENTRATION, AND PRACTICE.

Active Listening Skills: Listening Techniques

14
IV. STYLES OF LISTENING

Active Listening is the most difficult aspect of the communication process to manage. Often,
what we hear is different from what has been said. By recognizing the different styles of
listening - both barriers and bridges to communication, and by eliminating the bad listening
habits, we can make the best use of active listening to better understand others, to share ideas
and to build on those ideas together.

A. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

1. On-off listener
This habit comes about because individuals think about four times as fast as the average
person speaks. Thus, a person listening has 45 seconds of spare thinking time for each
speaking minute. A listener of this type thinks of personal affairs, concerns and problems
instead of asking questions to himself or interpreting the message.

2. Emotional listener
An emotional listener gets upset when he hears words or statements that relate to sensitive
issues or topics that can put him in tight or awkward situations. If this happens, the listener
automatically tunes out the speaker.

3. Open-ears but closed-mind listener

This all-knowing type listener assumes that he knows what the speaker will talk about and
jumps to conclusion that there is nothing new if you listen to the speaker. He thinks and
decides even before the start of the session that it is boring and what will be said makes no
sense.

4. Day-dreamer
This glassy-eyed listener has a dreamy expression. He seems to be looking at the speaker
intently and listening attentively but his mind is really wandering or in far distant places.

5. Too-complex-for-me listener
This type of listener avoids too complex and complicated ideas or topics. In so doing, he is not
able to follow the subject because he doesn’t make a real effort to understand what is being
said.

6. Compliant listener
This is the shy type who doesn’t voice his ideas for fear of ridicule and/or criticism. He adds
little to the discussion

Active Listening Skills: Styles of listening

 15
7. Argumentation listener
This type of listener doesn’t want his ideas, opinion and judgments challenged or over-tuned.
Thus, when the speaker says something that opposes what he thinks, he will unconsciously
stop listening to plan his response.

8. Fault-finder
The critical type listener finds faults with what the speaker says or how he says it rather than
concentrating on the message. He misses the most important facts and main ideas because
he focuses on small details of each item being discussed.

9. Note-taker listener
This type of listener attends meetings with the purpose of getting all possible information. In so
doing, he spends all his time taking down notes on all the materials presented. He forgets to
listen to the main points or “meat” of the discussion because of his desire to write everything
the speaker says.

10. Mental filters

We filter incoming messages through our own preconceptions. Messages contrary to our
beliefs cannot pass, and unless we make a conscious effort, are simply not heard. (They are
heard by our ears, but not by our minds.)

B. BRIDGES TO COMMUNICATION

1. Involved listener
The Positive Type who is attentive and participates well in discussion. He tries to ask
questions to clarify statements. He sends clear verbal and non-verbal responses and values
good eye-contact. He listens objectively to the speaker’s point of view and tries to give the
same connotation to the message so as to align his thoughts with that of the speaker’s
intention.

2. Active listener
Closely pays attention to the message that the speaker tries to relate. He asks questions to
ensure that his interpretation of the statement is accurate. He also gives feedback to reach a
common understanding with the speaker.

3. Positive listener
Never disagrees with a speaker until he has played back the speaker’s point so that the
speaker agrees it was correctly understood. This approach prevents the “Argumentative
Listener” syndrome.

Active Listening Skills: Styles of listening

16
Self-Test (5 min)
Styles of Listening

Instruction: Select a response from the right column (B) which correctly describes the
listener’s style defined in the left column (A). Write the letter corresponding
to your choice in the blank provided in front of the number in column (A).

Column A Column B

_______ 1. Automatically tunes out on a. Active listener

complex and complicated topics. b. Critical type
c. Too-complex-for-
_______ 2. Looks for speaker’s errors in his speech me listener
text, etc. d. Day dreamer
e. Argumentative type
_______ 3. Doesn’t want his ideas challenged. f. All-knowing type
g. Shy type
_______ 4. Jumps to conclusion without letting the h. Emotional type
speaker complete his statement. i. Positive type
j. On-off listener
_______ 5. Adds little to the discussion. Prefers to k. Mental filter
be silent for fear of voicing his opinion. l. Note-taker

_______ 6. Physically present but mentally absent.

_______ 7. Listens for the intent of the speaker and

the content of the message.

_______ 8. Becomes sensitive upon hearing specific

words that makes his adrenaline go up.

_______ 9. Asks questions to clarify what was said by the

speaker and gives feedback in a timely manner.

_______ 10. 3/4 of a minute of his spare thinking time

for each listening minute is spent on thinking
of personal affairs, concerns and problems
rather than on listening to the speaker.

_______ 11. Spends the entire meeting jotting down

everything the speaker says.

_______ 12. Screens incoming messages due to prejudice.

Optional: Once you’ve answered on an individual basis, discuss the possible answers
within your group (5 min.)

See last page for recommended responses.

Active Listening Skills: Styles of listening

 17
A break Activity (3 min.)

Can you follow instructions and complete in 3 minutes or less?

1. Read all that follows before doing anything.

2. Write your name in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
3. Circle the word “corner” in sentence two.
4. Draw five small squares in upper left-hand corner of this page.
5. Put an “X” on each square.
6. Put a circle around each square.
7. Sign your name under line 5.
8. After your name, write “yes, yes, yes”.
9. Put a circle around number 7.
10. Put an “X” in the lower-left-hand corner of this page.
11. Draw a triangle around the “X” you just made.
12. Call out your first name when you get to this point in the test.
13. If you think that you have followed directions carefully to this point, call out “I have!”
14. On the reverse side of this paper add 6950 and 9805.
15. Put a circle around your answer.
16. Count out loud, in your normal speaking voice, from 10 to 1.
17. Put three (3) small pin or pencil holes in the top of this page.
18. If you are the first person to get this far, yell out, “I am the first person to get to this spot
and I am the leader in following directions”.
19. Say out loud, “I am nearly finished. I have followed directions.”
20. Now that you have finished reading carefully, do only those things called for in the
sentences numbered 1 and 2. Did you read everything on this page before doing
anything?

Note: PLEASE BE QUIET AND WATCH THE OTHERS FOLLOW DIRECTIONS

Active Listening Skills: Styles of listening

18
V. YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN LISTENING
(WHERE DO WE STAND?)

1. What type of listener do you relate yourself to? ___________________________

2. What are your best listening qualities? Enumerate five (5) of them rank them 1-5 with one
(1) being the best quality. E.g.: good eye contact, clarifying, not judgmental, etc.
1. ______________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________

3. Please enumerate three (3) listening qualities that you want to develop or improve.
1. ______________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________

4. List three (3) bad listening habits that you exhibit during meetings and rank them with one
(1) being the worst.
1. ______________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________

5. Cite three (3) listening characteristics that you have observed from your other team
members in your meeting that you would like to avoid yourself.
1. ______________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________

Optional: Once you’ve answered on an individual basis, discuss the possible answers
within your group (5 min.)

Note: To be able to eliminate bad listening habits, several steps have to be taken as
discussed in the following page.

Active Listening Skills: Your Strengths and Weaknesses in Listening (Where do we stand?)
 19
Steps in Eliminating Bad Listening Habits:

1. Recognize your fault. Identify, monitor and eliminate this undesirable habit or poor lis-
tening
2. Do not tolerate your old ways. Make an effort to fight and control your old habits.
3. Develop patience to enable you to change the old habit with a new habit. Have trust in
yourself and put value into what you want to achieve.
4. Recognize yourself for a job well done by being able to successfully improve your
listening habits.
5. Be humble.
6. Have a learning and open-minded attitude.

REMINDER...

3 WAYS TO SHOW YOU LISTEN...

Š Give encouraging responses

Š Paraphrase content
Š Reflect feeling - non-judgmental

Active Listening Skills: Your Strengths and Weaknesses in Listening (Where do we stand?)
20
VI. EFFECTIVE GUIDELINES TO ACTIVE LISTENING
10 WAYS TO EFFECTIVE
LISTENING
1. Look for areas of interest
2. Consider the content and
not the delivery
3. Suspend judgment
4. Listen for ideas
5. Be flexible
6. Work at listening
7. Tune out distractions
8. Exercise your mind
9. Be open-minded
10. Capitalize on facts
Active Listening Skills: Effective Guidelines to Active Listening
THE BAD LISTENER
Cuts out personally
uninteresting subjects.
Does not listen if the
speaker is not credible in the
way he presents.
Tends to form quick
judgments based on
incomplete understanding.
Listens for every detail.
Incessant note-taker.
Always refers to the past.
Is not keen to listen. Fakes
attention.
Easily distracted.
Doesn’t like to listen to
complex and complicated
subjects.
Reacts to sensitive /
emotional words.
Tends to be argumentative,
basing agreement or
disagreement on own
opinion rather than facts;
doesn’t read emotions of
speaker.
THE GOOD LISTENER
Looks forward, ask “what’s
in it for me?”
Listens for content, skips
over delivery errors.
Doesn’t judge until
everything is understood.
Listens for themes, main
ideas, important facts.
Takes fewer notes. Adapts
to the speaker’s style.
Shows active participation
through body posture and
tries very hard to listen.
Avoids distractions,
concentrates on subjects
being discussed.
Makes use of heavier
material to exercise the
mind.
Doesn’t get hung up on
emotional words.
Challenges, anticipates,
mentally summarizes,
weighs the evidence, listens
between the lines and to
tone of voice.
 21

ACTIVE LISTENING SKILLS

The ability to hear what people are saying;

to check perceptions;
to probe for additional information;
to discover underlying assumptions;
to respond to unstated messages, feelings;
and non-verbal communication;
and to empathize.

Sanders and Assoc. - Consultants

ACTIVE LISTENING INVOLVES A THINKING PROCESS

THAT IS DISTINCT FROM READING AND WRITING

Active Listening Skills: Effective Guidelines to Active Listening

22
VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

A good and able listener, having applied all the skills of effective listening, achieves the
following:

Š Secures more information.

Š Understands others and their viewpoints.
Š If others see their ideas understood, they will themselves become better listeners.
Š Cooperation from others who will feel that the listener better understands them.

Active Listening Skills: Summary and Conclusion

 23
Team meeting evaluation
Listening Skills

1. To what extend are you committed in improving listening?

Non-committed Fully committed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2. What is the level of listening spent on your meeting by your team on the average?
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% % Spent on listening

3. How do you rate yourself as a listener?

Poor Excellent
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4. How do you rate the best listener in your team?

Poor Excellent
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5. How do you rate the worst listener in your team?

Poor Excellent
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6. How do you rate the following people in their listening skill? On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as
the highest) when applicable.

Manager _______ Facilitator (if any) _______

Team leader _______ Team members (on the average) _______
Recorder _______ Yourself (as what others _______
perceive you to be)
Speaker _______ Others _______

Active Listening Skills: Summary and Conclusion

24
Team Meeting Evaluation
Active Listening Aspect

For your own meeting use this checklist. (Free-up 10 min. in your agenda to discuss it or do it
at the beginning of your next meeting.)

Please rate the extent to which:

Never Sometimes Always

1. People attentively listened to each

† † †
other

2. People asked to clarify items not

clear or paraphrased the speaker’s † † †
statement

3. Participants seemed bored and

† † †
restless

4. People were easily distracted with

† † †
sounds and movements

5. Participants paid attention to the

† † †
speaker’s message

6. Participants provided feedback to

† † †
the speaker

7. Participants understood the

† † †
speaker’s point of view

8. Participants did not jump to

conclusions about what the speaker † † †
was saying

9. Participants had private talks during

† † †
the meeting

10. People actively participated in the

† † †
meeting

Active Listening Skills: Summary and Conclusion

 25
Notes

Active Listening Skills: Summary and Conclusion

26
Self-Test Recommended Responses

PAGE 2: What is your rating?

10-12 “NO” answers Excellent. Keep up the work.

Everybody is actively listening.
7-9 “NO” answers Good.
Can improve further in your listening skills
4-6 “NO” answers You and your team need practice in active listening.
Practice, practice and practice!
1-3 “NO” answers Tune up your ears and listen up!

PAGE 7: The Need to Listen

1. Receiving info, understanding message, evaluating message, giving feedback.

2. Enhance relationships, be more efficient, understand a situation, understand and be
understood, solve problems, be a team player, etc.
3. Subject is too elementary, subject is too complex, when we have our own pre-conceived
notion of the message, etc.
4. 1, 3, 4
5. Sender, receiver, message, feedback.

PAGE 14: Listening Techniques

1/B 2/B 3/C 4/A 5/B 6/B 7/B 8/B 9/B 10/B

PAGE 19: Styles of Listening

1/C 2/B 3/E 4/F 5/G 6/D 7/I 8/H 9/A 10/J 11/L 12/K

BREAKOUT ACTIVITY:

1. Cut the cheese horizontally into two equal cakes. Then cut vertically into four equal wedges.

2. SIX One line will convert a Roman numeral nine to a six.

3. 30 squares

Active Listening Skills: Summary and Conclusion