Subskills of Listening
Listening is not a passive activity, but a complex process with many subskills. Here are some key subskills:
1. Receiving:
* Attending: Focusing on the speaker and their message. This involves minimizing distractions and using nonverbal cues like eye contact and nodding.
* Hearing: Perceiving the speaker's words, tone, and nonverbal signals. This includes processing the physical sounds and recognizing the language being used.
2. Understanding:
* Decoding: Interpreting the meaning of the speaker's words and nonverbal cues. This involves understanding the speaker's intention, context, and cultural nuances.
* Remembering: Retaining the information received. This involves paying attention, actively processing information, and potentially using mnemonic techniques.
* Clarifying: Asking questions to ensure understanding, asking for repetition or elaboration if necessary.
3. Responding:
* Verbal: Providing appropriate verbal feedback, such as summarizing, asking questions, or expressing agreement or disagreement.
* Nonverbal: Using nonverbal cues like nodding, eye contact, and facial expressions to show you are listening and engaged.
* Empathy: Understanding and responding to the speaker's emotions and perspective.
4. Evaluating:
* Analyzing: Critically assessing the content and quality of the message. This involves identifying key points, analyzing the speaker's arguments, and evaluating the evidence provided.
* Synthesizing: Combining information from different sources to form a cohesive understanding. This involves identifying connections between different parts of the message and creating a broader picture.
* Remembering and Recalling: Storing and retrieving information for future use. This involves active recall, note-taking, and organizing information for easier retrieval.
Beyond these subskills, effective listening also requires:
* Motivation: Being genuinely interested in what the speaker has to say.
* Patience: Allowing the speaker to finish their thoughts and giving them time to elaborate.
* Open-mindedness: Being receptive to new ideas and perspectives, even if they differ from your own.
Mastering these subskills will help you become a more effective listener, improving communication and relationships.