Improve Your Communication with Effective Listening

There are times when you want to hear what someone is saying and there are times when you don’t.  Let’s face it you can become a different kind of listener depending on the situation.  At work your ability to listen effectively can mean the difference between making zero mistakes and making many, getting the project done on time or getting it done late.  The honest truth is if you want to improve your efficiency and productivity at the office, you’re going to have to become a more effective listener.  There are five types of listeners, which type are you most of the time?

Pretend Listener

A pretend listener is someone who frankly isn’t focused at all.  The person may stand with a blank stare at the speaker’s lips and tries to say “uh, huh” and “sure” at the right moments.  But, if you asked the person to repeat the conversation, they wouldn’t be able to recall a single sentence.  Pretending to listen is the most ineffective form of communication.  If you’re doing this at work, you’re missing all the information.

Selective Listener

Selective is similar to pretend listening.  Once again the person may stand blank faced in front of the speaker daydreaming, until the speaker says something that brings the listener back into the conversation.  Usually something of interest will trigger them to focus on what is being said and they become able to respond.  However, once the speaker moves onto another subject they tune out again.  This type of listener selects which pieces of information they will hear. 

When you find yourself selectively listening you are only getting parts of the important information you need.  When you find yourself tuning in and out of a conversation, use active listening skills to help you focus.  This requires that you eliminate physical distractions from your line of vision, maintain eye contact, nod and respond appropriately to the speaker, and keep your mind from wondering.

Attentive Listener

The attentive listener is actively trying to focus on the words coming out of the speaker’s mouth.  This person is trying so hard that they are missing the non-verbal cues that help to understand the message.  These cues include facial expression, body language, and tone of voice.  These elements help to convey the feeling and sentiment of the information given and are necessary for complete communication.

Interactive Listener

This person is truly involved in the conversation.  However, they are only interested in the information in regards to how it relates to their life and experiences.  For example, the interactive listener listens to a co-worker explain a problem with a customer.  Instead of listening for how they can help the co-worker, they’re mind is focused on how they had a similar experience with a customer.  This person is anxious for the speaker to stop talking so they’ll have their chance to speak and explain what they went through with their customer.  This type of listener has trouble because they prefer to be on the speaking end of the conversation.

Empathetic Listener

This type of listener listens tentatively to the speaker without allowing their mind to wonder or tuning out of the conversation.  This individual is not actively thinking of how they will respond while the speaker is talking.  The empathetic listener pays attention to content, and focuses on non-verbal communication.  In order to reach true communication with someone at work or home you must be able to listen without your own agenda.  Your greatest gift to the speaker is to be able to respond appropriately when it is your turn to speak because you truly heard them.