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| Listen Up! The Power of Effective Listening | | | Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit
In his book Building a Successful Career, Rajeev Sethi says, “What we hear or understand when someone speaks to us is largely based on our own experience and background. We here what our mind tells us they have said.”
Communication is essential at all levels of management for decision-making and planning. It increases managerial capacity and facilitates control. It has rightly been said that good mangers are good communicators and poor managers are poor communicators. Good listening is a resourceful skill to expand the sources of information and knowledge that may be a good cause for you to gain wisdom. Good listening skills can help you become more experienced person than those who lack this habit. Wilson Mizner has said that “A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something.”
Most of us are so busy talking, and so found of listening to our own voices, that we forget to listen. Successful persons list listening ability as an important personality trait. We all have observed that normally people get pleasure from speaking about themselves, their achievements, their wealth etc, but if they always speak about their achievements or their problems, people will get fed up with their egocentricity and would avoid them. So, it is very necessary that conversation takes in a two-way activity. A person, who dominates the conversation, might feel good about it, because he or she attracts all the attention, but he or she might be avoided the next time.
Give your full attention to the person talking to you and do not interrupt. You can learn a lot about an organization and its people by just listening to others. One of the many benefits of being a good listener is that your habit of good listening can turn people into acquiring good listening habits by creating your good image on them. Listening is an essential part of a good conversation.
A boss who listens patiently to his employees is always liked and respected. Otherwise he may be labeled as arrogant. Show interest in others, encourage them to talk about themselves. Their family, their goals and aspirations.
Here are some tips for effective listening:
The receiver should attach importance to the source and its credibility.
Do not listen to the words only, try to know what message the communicator is actually passing on. Go beyond what is said.
Even if your mind is pre-occupied with your own thoughts, try to listen with a mind that is concentrating on what is being told.
Be conscious of your body gestures and movements; it also helps active listening.
As far as possible, unnecessary interruption should be avoided. This will help the speaker.
Keep relaxed when listening. Just be natural.
Expect resistance and handle it without annoying yourself or ridiculing others.
Do not force others to hurry up; let them take their time.
Your point of view should look favourable to others as seen by them through their own mental make-up.
Set an example by personal involvement.
Keep an open mind. Mind is like a parachute, it works only when it is open.
Do not jump to conclusions. Listen for understanding. Be supportive and encouraging.
Bernard M. Baruch has rightly said that “Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking.” |
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