WHAT IS LISTENING ?

Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages

in the communication process.
Listening is key to all effective communication. Without the ability to
listen effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. As a result,
communication breaks down and the sender of the message can
easily become frustrated or irritated.
If there is one communication skill you should aim to master, then
listening is it.
Listening is Not the Same as Hearing

 Hearing refers to the sounds that enter your ears. We hear lot of sounds and
voices daily birds chirping, there is hustle and bustle of students in nfc.we
continue hearing all these things..
 Listening, however, requires more than that: it requires focus and
concentrated effort, both mental and sometimes physical as well.
 Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use
of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other
words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages.
The Process of Listening can be
categorized into 4 main areas
1. Hear
2. Clarify
3. Interpret
4. Respond
 Clarify
Often, what is said is not completely or accurately heard. Although the speaker
has the responsibility to ensure that what he or she said is understood, the
reality is that the listener must make some effort, too

INTERPRET:
After clarifying what the speaker said, be ready to interpret the message.
Interpretation requires ascertaining not only the credibility behind what the
speaker said but also an understanding of what was said.

Respond
Sometimes we have to respond to what the speaker says. Of the four steps, this
one is optional. Any response will have a physiological, emotional, and aspect to
it.
If someone's says u cleared all the subjects. The respond from u will be
emotional..
If someone's says give me a glass of water u will give him that.
 Characteristics of Listening
L = Look interested I = Involve yourself by responding S = Stay on target T =
Test your understanding E = Evaluate the message N = Neutralize your feelings
 Nature gave us two ears but only one tongue, which is a gentle hint that we
should listen more than we talk. “

Importance of Listening
The importance of listening extends far beyond academic and professional
settings. Understanding how to practice good communication even in your day to
day life, among friends, family, and significant others, is important for a number of
reasons: fostering good self-esteem, maximizing productivity, improving
relationships, and even becoming a better speaker.
Listening: as a communication skill
Listening is one of the most important communication skills We probably spend
more time using our Listening Skills than any other kind of skill Like other skills,
Listening takes practice Real Listening is an active process Listening requires
attention
 IMPORTANCE OF
LISTENING
An excited pig-tailed girl runs up to her mother and proudly shows her a small bug-
eyed frog. "Look, Mom, I have a frog." The mother, rather than acknowledge the
message sent, allows her own feelings and habits to interfere and responds, "Put that
thing back and go clean up." This all too familiar scene illustrates the poor listening
skills that we all have. A mother ignores the message of how happy her daughter is
and that she wants to share it with her mother, and changes the communication to a
new message, "Go clean up." If the mother had only said, "What a nice frog, Dear.
Now, let it go back to its home, and you go clean up,"
FOR TEACHERS
Listening is the single most
important aspect of tutoring.
Without it there is no way to know
what the tutee needs. It is also a
rare and generous gift – to listen to
someone – in this media
bombarded society.
FOR STUDENTS
If student carefully listen to the
teacher .he will be able to
understand lectures easily. And also
questioning their confusions if he
feel any any problem which he
don’t understand.an active listener
student follow all the instructions
of the teacher, it will help him to
achieve high results and CGPA.AND
Will be successful in practical life
Poor Listening Habits
Criticizing a speaker
Finding fault with the speaker
Allowing yourself to be distracted
Faking attention
Poor Listeners... Good Listeners...
criticize the speaker's voice, clothes, or looks. realize that a lecture is not a popularity
Therefore, they decide that the speaker won`t contest. Good listeners look for the ideas
say anything important. being presented, not for things to criticize.
listen with the mind, not the emotions.
become so involved in disagreeing with
Good listeners jot down something they
something the speaker states that they stop
disagree with to ask the speaker later,
listening to the remainder of the lecture
then go on listening.
use little distractions -- someone coughing, a
filter out distractions and concentrate on
pencil dropping, the door opening and closing
what the speaker is saying.
-- as an excuse to stop listening.
understand that speakers talk about what
look at the speaker but don't listen. They they think is most important. Good
expect to get the material from the textbook listeners know that a good lecture may not
later. contain the same information as the
textbook.
 Why Is Listening Important in a Business Organization ?
To Gain Information
Listening enables you to acquire facts so that you can make decisions that
benefit your business. By listening to a job applicant in an interview, for
example, you might discover his attitudes toward the profession, performance in
previous jobs. This additional insight can help you decide whether the applicant
is a good fit for your company. A supervisor who listens to an employee’s
complaint about a health risk on the job might reduce injuries and enhance job
performance.

Developing Trust
Listening is essential to building trust. If one member of a team doesn’t listen to
instructions, an entire project might fail. To develop trust, pay attention to verbal
instructions and deadlines. Listen for statements a coworker might make
regarding his own strengths and weaknesses as it relates to a project, so that
you can collaborate in a way that maximizes each other’s strengths.
 Maintaining Your Reputation
The reputation of a business depends upon listening skills. If you fail to listen to a
customer, for example, the customer might not receive the service or product she
expected. When this occurs repeatedly, it can tarnish the company’s reputation. A
company develops relationships with other businesses through verbal communication,
too. Talking on the phone and working on a task at the same time can result in
misunderstandings.
 Reduce Conflict
Listening can reduce conflict. A conflict can arise when an individual feels
misunderstood or mistreated. For example, if you fail to listen to instructions and your
coworker does the task you were supposed to perform, the coworker might be unhappy
with you. Pay attention to nonverbal cues, as well. If an individual’s facial expressions,
gestures or behavior contradict her words, ask questions to find out what IT really
means.
IMPORTANCE FOR DOCTORS.
A doctor examine his patient in hospital or private clinic. A patient come
and said doctor I am ill feeling severe headache and also vomiting.
Doctor I'm diabetic too. If doctor will preoccupied in some social concern
he will not be able to active listening and it cause low respect of doctor
and it can damage the patient health.
LISTENING FOR ENGINEERS:
Listening is so imp for engineers. an engineer working in a factory or
organization has to follow the instructions and guidelines of seniors or co-
workers‘ u know v well an engineer cannot design and fabricate project
alone.one project involves many engineers. For e.g. in aerospace manufacturing
industries like Boeing or space x ..it involves many engineers or scientist.an
aerospace team is made up of engineers,scientist,IT PROFESSIONALS…SO IF AN
ENGINEER FAILS TO LISTEN AN IDEA OR STRATEGY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS IN
EQUIPMENT OR PROJECT WHICH HE HAS TO DESIGN WITH HIS CO-WORKERS.
INRETURN CO-WORKER FEEL HESITATION TO WORK WITH YOUR AND U WILL LOSS
YOUR RESPECT OR TRUST TOO.
 Listening is the key to great relationships and good understanding. It’s
important in today’s society, with all of our high-tech communication
capabilities, to tune in and really listen to one another whenever possible.
Effective listening is the secret that saves jobs, marriages and families from
breakups.

Here are seven steps to effective listening:

1. Look the Speaker in the Eyes

This shows that you’re being attentive and actually care about what they are
saying. By no means should you engage in other activities like texting, reading,
writing or gazing at the television. Stay focused on the conversation at hand and
nod accordingly to let the person know you’re getting what they’re saying
2. Avoid Interrupting and Wait to Interject at the Right
Time
Let the speaker finish their point. Wait for a pause to interject or ask for more
clarity. A big mistake would be to jump in with an interruption, ask a question or
make a comment before the speaker is done speaking. This can be very
frustrating and can cause the speaker to lose sight of what they were trying to
say. Interruptions can create a wall between the speaker and listener, making it
hard to communicate successfully.
3. Be Prepared to Listen
Relax your mind and body so that you can receive information objectively. Clear
your mind of distracting thoughts by breathing in deeply. (Inhale and exhale at
least three times.) Turn toward the speaker and sit up straight to show that
you’re present and attentive. Your physical engagement also sends a message to
your mind to focus on the speaker.
4. Learn to Keep Your Mind from Wandering
A untrained mind can easily be distracted by noises, random objects, background
chatter or your even own thoughts. You may find yourself thinking of what you
should be getting done in that moment. However, when you’re not focused on
the conversation, it is evident to the other person.

Journaling is the most effective way to train your mind to listen. Get quiet every
day for at least 20-30 minutes and tune out all noise and distractions. Then ask
yourself a question you want answered about your life or career. Sit, listen and
record your response in a journal. Soon you’ll learn how to effectively listen to
both your inner thoughts and to others.
 5. Be Open-Minded
Always remember the three to being open-minded:
1. No Judging: Listen without being critical of the other person. Judging the
matter before you hear it all out can cause you to respond inappropriately.
2. No Justifying: Avoid the need to justify your own thoughts or beliefs on a
matter before listening to a person entirely. If you don’t allow a person to finish
what they’re trying to say, you’ll never really get to know how they feel or think
about the situation.
3. No Jumping In: Be patient and try not to figure out what you think the
speaker is trying to say by finishing their sentences or blurting out your thoughts.
The best way to learn exactly what they’re saying is by remaining quiet and
listening closely. Concentrate on what they’re saying (even if it annoys you).
Effective listening should be free of interruptions and pre-supposed solutions.
6. Practice the Art of Mirroring
A good listener knows how to mirror the same energy or emotions as the speaker.
Show that you’re engaged by responding with matching expressions. Reflect their
feelings by responding with a smile when they smile and nod when they’re looking
for clues that you’re getting what they’re saying to you. For big news, show an
appropriately excited expression to convey that you’re feeling what they are
feeling. This assure them that you’re really listening and engaging.
7. Give Positive Non-Verbal Feedback
Your facial expression is a clear indicator of your thoughts and mood. Be
conscious of your body language. Rolling eyes, slumping shoulders, excessive
fidgeting or sternness of face all show that you’re detached from the
conversation. Look at the person talking, point your body in their direction, smile
and listen closely.