Listening is one of the most often used activities yet one of the least understood. Many of us have been accused of not listening properly.

Many people confuse listening with hearing. Hearing is a passive process. We hear whether we want to or not. Listening, on the other hand, is an active process. Listening requires a willful decision to be involved in the speaker’s message in order to process the information.

We listen only when we want to. We can turn our listening on or off very easily by not focusing our attention on the speaker’s message.

Because listening is an active process, it involves more than receiving sounds. We must be fully engaged in the conversation in order to understand the message. Listening also requires that we react to the speaker.

Listening is a learned behavior. We listen the way we do because of years of practice.  Effective listening skills results in fewer errors and confusion in the workplace. Each dialogue is an opportunity to establish and develop a strong communication link between the speaker and the listener.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES:

The participants will learn how to develop the techniques that are critical to good listening skills by learning:

• How we Listen
• Key Elements of Good Listening
• Checking for Understanding and Seeking Clarification
• Correctly Interpreting the Message
• Responding to the Message
• Adapting and Maintaining the Key Attributes of Active Listening