Effective Listening Skills

Keys to Effective Listening The Good Listener The Poor Listener
Use positive nonverbal cues.  Exhibits by maintaining eye contact and other positive body language Shows no energy, interest, attention is faked.
Hold your comments. Doesn't judge until all info has been gathered  Tends to interrupt or enter into arguments.
Clarify the message Asks clarifying questions.  Makes assumptions
Paraphrase the speaker. Restates the message before responding.  Charges ahead with own remarks.
Stay focused. Keeps mind alert and attentive. Stays "present" with speaker.  Mentally rehearses own rebuttal or unspoken criticisms. 
Search for total meaning  Listens for central ideas and themes.  Listens for facts.
Be flexible. Keeps mind open to all possibilues.  Compares to own ideas.
Find areas of interest.  Asks, "What's in it for me?" Tunes out dry subjects.
Judge content, not delivery.  Judges content, skips over delivery errors.  Tunes out if delivery is poor.
Resist distractions.  Avoids distractions, stays focused  Distracted easily.
Keep your mind open.  Defers emotional responses to "hot topics".  Reacts to emotional words or "hot topics".


Adapted from the original by Anadri Chisolm, Office of Student Activities of Tufts Leadership Institute
On-Line by J.J. Kwashnak Spring 1997

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