Obstacles to excellent listening

Overview

Before the most advanced listening skills can be implemented, it’s important to remove common roadblocks from effective listening. There are pitfalls of listening in which we all fall victim from time to time, diminishing our efficiency. Distractions, both internal and external, can prevent us from having the most productive conversation if they are not eliminated or attenuated. Our thoughts and feelings often become a stumbling block to effective listening when our subjectivity, emotional reactions, or focus on preparing to speak interfere with our effectiveness. In addition, the listener’s speech itself can stop the flow of information. Finally, a blockage that all people face at some point is boredom. Listening to a speaker or a boring subject can be a real challenge to receiving and retaining critical information effectively. Fortunately, there is hope. We can all learn to listen better, despite our boredom.

In this course, you will be technically examined to overcome obstructions in listening. These will include the tools needed to remove distractions, to keep thoughts and emotions under control, to avoid pitfalls that lead to a deadlock, and, of course, to get rid of boredom.

Objectives

• to alleviate distractions that interfere with effective listening
• to classify types of thoughts and emotions that may jeopardize effective listening
• to avoid the most common statements that lead listeners to a deadlock
• to identify techniques for listening effective listening despite boredom
• applying techniques to overcome blockages in effective listening