Effective Listening

Effective Listening

Welcome back to my blog! This week’s post will focus on an interesting subject "Effective Listening".   Have you ever found yourself to be in a position where you felt as if there was a breakdown in communication with someone you were trying to communicate with? Is it possible that the breakdown came because of the lack of ones listening skills?  Most of us believe that we listen well but studies have shown that this skill is one that we lack the most.  Effective listening is a very important aspect in effective communication.  They both go hand and hand in the communication process.

Let's examine what we mean by effective listening.  Effective Listening requires us to put forth an effort to acknowledge and to understand what others are trying to communicate to us.  It allows the receiver to understanding the content and the emotions behind what is being said.  Is listening a natural skill or does it require some work and nourishment?  Some say it is a natural skill but can be cultivated and improved upon.    We listen to gain knowledge and understanding or even to just acquire some kind of information. Expressing our feelings, wants, needs and expectations clearly and effectively are only part of the communication process.  The other part is listening and understanding.  

There are benefits to listening effectively, you will get more information from the people you manage, may increase the amount of trust your employees have in you and reduce conflicts and misunderstandings.  It builds trust, it brings about credibility and support.  Why does effective listening matter? To some degree effective listening can be closely related to effective leadership.    Within this whole spectrum of communication and leadership many facets work together to form this entire process.   How do we become a better listener?  Become interested in the conversation, involve yourself by responding to what is being said, evaluate the message and most importantly neutralize your feelings about the matter at hand.

So does how we communicate effect how we listen?  I believe so, sometimes there are barriers that hinder us from actively listening to what someone else has to say.  Those barriers can include hearing your point of view or your side and no one else’s, trying to think of rebuttals to what is being said or even just not being engaged in the conversation. 

In my opinion, effective communication and listening exist between two people when the receiver interprets the sender’s message in the way it was intended.  Developing good listening skills will encourage success and speaking from personal experience others tend to respect those who listen well.