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Are You Listening?
May 29, 2008 | 1 Comment
In our lives, we have to listen. We listen to the teachers, lecturers, bosses, parents, mentors and friends. However, do we really listen to what they mean or do we just nod and forget about it afterwards? When a boss criticise you for not hitting the sales quota for the month, do you defend yourself or take the blame?
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We have been given two ears, two eyes and a mouth. It looks like we should be using our eyes and ears more than our mouths, doesn’t it? In addition, we have two hands, two legs and thus, it means we should be using them more than the mouth. Listening is a skill that can be learned.
Imagine talking to someone of the opposite sex. Let’s say their body shapes aren’t that great and you are imagining them to be in their underwear so that you won’t feel intimidated. Would you puke at the thought of someone who has a beer belly? It would be embarrassing indeed when they ask, “Are you listening?”
Steps to improve your listening skills:
- Give your full attention on the person who is speaking. Don’t look out the window or at what else is going on in the room.
- Make sure your mind is focused, too. It can be easy to let your mind wander if you think you know what the person is going to say next, but you might be wrong! If you feel your mind wandering, change the position of your body and try to concentrate on the speaker’s words.
- Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk. Speakers appreciate having the chance to say everything they would like to say without being interrupted. When you interrupt, it looks like you aren’t listening, even if you really are.
Listening is a mental task. Make use of this time to ask mental questions. When the lecturer is speaking, you can think faster than what he/she can talk. Make use of this time to think so that your mind won’t wander away.
What are the ways you have used to improve your listening skills? Share.
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