Are you listening?
by J.B.V. Fernando, Moratuwa
Yes? Why not? Can't you see? Another
Tsunami is coming very soon! Tigers are preparing for a big attack! An
election is in the offing! Another huge flood is due to occur! The
Apocalypse is going to destroy us
completely!.....
Everyone from Berossus to Nostrademus, has predicted the end of the
World...! We are already witnessing people claiming that they have seen
Jesus, that they have seen aliens, that they have seen the devil
himself!
Historically, at times like this, stock markets crash, mass suicide
cults become popular and for a time the "madness of people" take
over...But a few listen to all this cacophony and stand calmly and
prosper-in the middle of this "Madness"....!
If you wish to be included in this select band, let me introduce you
to the "Art of Listening" which to many of us seems a very easy thing to
do. Of course you are free to call it the "Science of listening"! It
doesn't really matter so long as you have the patience to read on!
With the pace of the new millennium and with the ubiquitous mobile
phones, 'Listening' has become an important means of communication.
Many of us know how wonderful it is to meet and talk to some one who
is a very good listener.
It is the forte of Psychiatrist by the way! As individuals
communicating with friends, relatives, customers and public, it is
essential to first be aware of the various barriers to listening that
prevent proper and supportive listening. Some of the main identified
barriers are-
1. On-off listening-
This is an unfortunate listening habit where an individuals thinks
about four times faster than an average person can speak. Thus, the
listener enjoys a spare thinking time of three fourth of a minute per
listening minute.
As a result, this extra time is consumed to think about personal
affairs, concerns and other troubles instead of listening and
summarizing what the speaker has to say. This weakness is commonly seen
among persons who prefer to show that they are intelligent and wiser
than others!
This barrier can be overcome by watching non-verbal signs of the
speaker like gestures, hesitations etc., to pick up the feeling level.
2. Red flag listening-
To
some individuals, certain words are like a "red flag to a bull"! The
moment they hear such words, their listening shutter clicks! For e.g.
Terms like communists, capitalists, politics, religion, money, modern
youth etc., are signals to some people to shoot out their mouth like a
duck taking to water!
When this signal comes in, their mind is turned off from the speaker,
thereby failing to develop an understanding of that person. This short
coming is generally visible among the Politicians!
3. Open ears-closed mind listening
Some times listeners decide quite quickly that either the subject or
the speaker is boring and after that, what is being said makes no sense
to them. Often they jump to conclusion that they can predict what the
speaker will say and they conclude that there is no reason to listen as
they will hear nothing new.
This weakness is again common among those pseudo intelligent persons!
Isn't it better to find out for sure the speaker's version?
4. 'Glassy-eyed listening'-
Sometimes listeners look at people intently and appear to be
listening, although their minds may be miles away! They relegates into
comfort of their own thoughts! They get glassy-eyed, and often a
dreaming expression appears in their faces.
If we notice many people looking glassy-eyed in seminars, the time is
ripe to go for a break or a change of pace. Evidently, this malady is
common among students whether school going or not!
'Too-deep-for-me' -listening-
When the subject matter is too complex and complicated, some
listeners are virtually forced to follow the discussion and try to
understand what is said. Both listening and understanding simultaneously
what the speaker is saying, can make the subject and the speaker quite
interesting.
The solution here is to seek clarification at the appropriate moment.
Students and participants at seminars and discussions please bear in
mind!
'Don't rock the boat' -listening-
Generally, people don't like to have their favourite ideas,
prejudices and opinions overturned, nor do they like to have them
challenged. Therefore, when a speaker says something that clashes either
with what the listener thinks or believe, the listener may unconsciously
stop listening or become defensive. Such instances are galore at
political discussions on the T.V.!
In this situation, it is better to listen and find out what the
speaker thinks, in order to get to the flip side of the issue, so that
understanding and responding constructively can be achieved better.
What are the qualities of a good
listener? Are you listening?
A good listener will encourage people to:
* Talk freely and frankly.
* To raise matters and problems that are important to them.
* To furnish as much information as they can and want to, and
* To get a greater insight into and understanding of their problems
as they talk it out.
Some Do's Don'ts of listening
* While listening one should try to,
* Show interest
* Express empathy
* Be understanding towards the other person
* Single out a problem if there is one
* Listen for causes of the problem
* Help the speaker associate the problem with the cause
* Encourage the speaker to develop competence and motivation to solve
his or her own problems and to,
* Cultivate the ability to be silent when silence is necessary
While listening one should Not:
* Argue
* Interrupt
* Pass judgement too quickly or in advance
* Give advice unless it is requested by the other person
* Jump to conclusions and
* Let the speaker's emotions affect his own too directly.
Having said so much about 'Listening', please let me caution the
reader that as the saying goes, 'Too much of anything is good for
nothing'! In other words by listening too much, one may unintentionally
encourage the speaker to be over-dominant resulting in the whole
exercise becoming meaningless, unproductive and a waste of time!
In today's context, every second counts and time management is
critical. The day is not far when even Robots will become talkative and
Computers will listen and store what is received in their memory for
retrieval and action at any time!
Therefore, let us resolves to start the day with less talk and more
listening, followed by action! |