Listening is one of the key skills you should be developing as a speaker, presenter, or even participant in an interview. In this article, we'll talk about why being a good listener is so important, and how to make it happen.
The Importance Of Listening When Doing A Speech
By: Ashlyn Liekhus .............................................................Your audience will walk out of your presentation with their heads held high and their egos intact if they know that you value them enough to hear them out -- no matter what they have to say. It's hard work being the "listener" that stands there patiently while someone else is talking; it's not always easy on your throat or brain cells either. Listening is a skill, and it takes time and practice to perfect. However, it is time well spent.
The Key To Listening Effectively:
You need to listen without judgment or evaluation of what you're hearing. It's impossible for you to listen with the kind of powerful concentration that makes your listening effective if you're busy thinking about how the other person sounds or how they look while they talk. You can't even listen effectively if you are paying more attention to what you want to say next than what the other person is saying now! Thinking about how you will respond when it's your turn to speak also gets in the way of productive listening. It's especially important to focus your attention on the speaker's non-verbal cues -- body language, facial expressions, tone of voice -- and on what is going on in the moment. Too often we are so busy thinking about what we want to say in response or how what we hear relates to what we already know that we don't pay attention to the details.
Improve Your Listening Skills:
Listening for listening's sake is a great way to develop your skill. Make it a habit to listen well whenever someone else is speaking without making any effort (or appearing to make an effort) at replying or contributing anything to the conversation. You can use this skill to encourage others to speak up when you want to hear them and to ask them questions, show interest, and give honest input.
Practice asking questions that require the speaker to develop their thoughts by paying close attention (and no longer thinking about what you want to say). Practice paying attention by actively shining your Spotlight on the speaker -- don't let any part of their body or clothing escape your gaze for more than two seconds. Practice listening for details about what was said and how it relates to the overall message of the presentation by making notes on your handout. Allow time at the end of a presentation for everyone in attendance, including yourself, to share his or her experiences with each other in a more personal way.
In the speech world, try to have your handwritten notes from a previous presentation or interview submitted as part of your "newspaper" for the next speech. With everyone's notes compared and studied side by side, you'll be able to see what others may have missed or what they got wrong, and you'll also get a chance to explain why you made certain decisions about how to present the material. This will help you to focus on what went right so that in future presentations you will have less stress and more confidence.
References:
The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People - Stephen R Covey ...........................................................
Being A Good Listener (Without Being a Geek) - Jeffrey J. Barnes .............................................................
Open Your Mind To Other Ideas And People - Dr. Michele Wheatley .............................................................
Video: You Can't Win In A Game of War If You Don't Know How To Listen and Communicate. This is Why You Shouldn't Assume Someone Is Asking For Help Until They Have Clearly Asked For It! - Awesome!
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