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Boundless Communications
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Communications

Chapter 5

Learning to Listen and Helping Others Do the Same

Book Version 5
By Boundless
Boundless Communications
Communications
by Boundless
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Section 1
Understanding Listening
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The Importance of Listening

Listening is an active process by which we make sense of, assess, and respond to what we hear.

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Listening and Critical Thinking

Critical thinking skills are essential and connected to the ability to listen effectively and process the information that one hears.

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Causes of Poor Listening

Listening is negatively affected by low concentration, trying too hard, jumping ahead, and/or focusing on style instead of substance.

Section 2
Stages of Listening
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The Receiving Stage

The first stage of the listening process is the receiving stage, which involves hearing and attending.

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The Understanding Stage

The understanding stage is the stage during which the listener determines the context and meanings of the words that are heard.

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The Evaluating Stage

The evaluating stage is the listening stage during which the listener critically assesses the information she's received from the speaker.

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The Responding Stage

The responding stage is when the listener provides verbal and/or nonverbal reactions to what she hears.

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The Remembering Stage

The remembering stage occurs as the listener categorizes and retains the information she's gathering from the speaker.

Section 3
Barriers to Listening
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Culture

Cultural differences between listeners and speakers can create barriers to effective communication.

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Gender

All of us can and do speak the language of multiple gender cultures, and we can use this knowledge to communicate effectively.

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Technology

Technology can assist the audience with listening, but can also be a distraction at the same time.

Section 4
Enhancing Your Listening
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Be a Serious Listener: Resist Distractions and Listen Actively

Resisting distractions and listening actively are two ways to become a more effective listener.

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Be an Open-Minded Listener: Suspend Judgment and Exercise Empathy

Open-minded listening requires empathy and a suspension of judgment on the part of the listener.

Section 5
Helping Your Audience Listen More
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Read Feedback Cues

Feedback is the verbal and non-verbal responses from an audience which help the speaker modify and regulate what s/he is saying.

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Hold the Audience's Attention

To hold the audience's attention, consider their readiness to perceive, the selection of stimuli, and how to maintain current awareness.

Maximize Understanding

To maximize understanding, use general rhetorical strategies and other approaches that build upon the audience's prior experiences.

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Build Credibility

Aristotle established three methods of proof to build credibility: initial, derived, and terminal.

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Make Messages Easy to Remember

Encoding (or registration), storage, and recollection comprise the three main stages in the formation and retrieval of memory.

Section 6
Giving and Receiving Criticism
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Cultural Differences in Approaching Criticism

When giving criticism, it is important to keep in mind cultural differences such as eye contact, verbal style, and speaker expectations.

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Giving Effective Criticism: Be Positive, Specific, Objective, and Constructive

Effective criticism should be positively intended, specific, objective, and constructive in order to achieve results.

Techniques for Accepting Criticism

When receiving criticism try to be: accepting, open-minded, and willing to seek clarity.

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Boundless Communications by Boundless
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Building Confidence to Speak
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Chapter 5
Learning to Listen and Helping Others Do the Same
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  • Stages of Listening
  • Barriers to Listening
  • Enhancing Your Listening
  • Helping Your Audience Listen More
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