Want to learn how to listen effectively? Shelley's article is full of great advice and links to other sources!

I believe that the down fall to communication is the inability to listen effectively. Have you ever had the experience of talking to someone and when you finish, they ask you a question that should have already been clearly answered? In the end it leaves us feeling as if we have just wasted our time. Then we end up spending more time repeating what we have already said when we could have used that time to further discuss the topic.

Do You Want to Impress Others? Then Don’t Talk…Listen – Article by Della Menechella

www.dellamenechella.com/do_you_want_to_impress_others.htm

Della Menechella states: “Listening is an underappreciated aspect of communication. When you carefully listen to others, you impress them in ways that talking can never accomplish”.

In Della’s article she points out that it is important to show an interest in what others are talking about and to focus on others rather than ourselves. By “listening” we are showing that we have respect and appreciation for what other people have to say.

Good Communication Starts With Listening – Article by Nancy Foster

www.mediate.com/articles/foster2.cfm

In Nancy’s Article she states “To be a good listener, we must, first, pay attention”.

To show that we are listening we can use brief responses to let the speaker know that we are listening and are interested. Also the way that we use our body language is a form of nonverbal communication and a way for the speaker to tell if you are interested or paying attention.

The most important fact I feel that Nancy points out is the difference between knowing when to speak and when to just be quiet and listen. I personally liked this article.

Now Pay Attention: Here’s why you need good listening skills- Article by Dawn Rosenberg McKay

http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/miscskills/a/listening_skill.htm

Dawns article states – “Hearing is a physical ability while listening is a skill” and “Listening skills allow one to make sense of and understand what another person is saying”. The article includes some reasons as to why we should attain good listening skills in the workplace, also how to listen well, barriers to listening and how listening starts at an early age. To poses the skill of listening begins at an early age and with some effort it can improve throughout our lives. The ability to listen doesn’t come as easy to some as it might to others. There are steps that can be taken to learn the skills that can help us be effective listeners. It won’t be until we come to the realization that we lack these skills that we will actually try to change our ways.

It is very important to have good listening skills when it comes to so many of our career choices. If a Doctor or police officer doesn’t have very good listening skills how will they ever be able to respond to our needs in the correct way? Listening is an extremely important factor in the process of communication.

An important listening skill that I have come across the most would be acknowledgement. To show a speaker that we are “listening” and paying attention not only verbally but nonverbally as well shows that we care. I think that even though we might not be interested in what someone is talking about that it is common courtesy to listen. Who knows we just might learn a thing or two and walk away more knowledgeable then we were before.

Shelley Young