Listening is probably one of the most important skills one can have and yet the most likely to be neglected simply because it is taken for granted as something that just happens. But is it really?
The answer is no, ‘listening’ is more than ‘hearing’. I have come across a very interesting interpretation of the traditional Chinese character ‘listen’ (see below) which gives a flavour of what it entails.
The Chinese character ‘listen’ is composed of several parts:
耳 Ear = What you use to listen
王 King = Pay attention as if the other person were king
十目 Ten and Eye = Be observant as if you had ten eyes
一 One = Listen with individual attention
心 Heart = Listen with your heart
(Source: Coaching for Performance)
Active Listening
The interpretation provides a peek at ‘active listening’, where one makes a conscious effort to hear not only the words of the speaker but more importantly to understand the complete message being communicated. It is a technique widely used in areas such as communication, coaching, conflict resolution, and particularly useful to business leaders.
Active listening is where the listener:
- stays attentive and focused during the conversation;
- pays attention to the speakers, be observant about their words, the tone of voice and body language, which reveals their views and emotions;
- shows interest and acknowledges engagement in the conversation (with non-verbal signs and verbal enforcement);
- summarises and reflects to ensure correct understanding and reassures they have been fully heard;
- remains neutral and non-judgmental;
- allows the speaker adequate time to finish and avoids interruption.
Active listening is a skill that takes time and effort to develop just like any other skills we acquire, and it takes practice, dedication, and empathy to sustain and master. How well we listen has great influence on the effectiveness of our communication and the quality of our relationships with others. Business leaders who listen to their employees and have their best interests at heart can nurture trustworthy relationships, inspire and support employees for professional development and improve effectiveness and overall performance at work.
Level of Listening
People’s listening competencies are typically defined in three stages, and moving towards a higher level of listening can help people to become more effective listeners and executives to become more compassionate leaders.
INTERNAL LISTENING
This is the lowest level of listening and most of us stay at this level unless we intentionally develop our listening skills. It occurs naturally where we listen to our voice internally rather than the others when they speak. For instance, you might be thinking about a particular question or what to say next when someone is talking. Internal listening can potentially lead to key information being lost or misunderstanding in communication, and enhancement on listening skills is required.
EXTERNAL LISTENING
At the second level of listening, we fully focus on the speakers and pay attention to every word they say. We listen attentively to understand their message conveyed accurately and completely and not distracted by our internal dialogue. It takes motivation and practice to reach this level given how easy it is for the mind to wander off from a conversation. External listening is often adopted in coaching conversations, where it is all about the coachees and understanding where they are ‘coming from’.
ENVIRONMENTAL LISTENING
The highest level of listening focuses on the speakers in the context of their entire surroundings, this is where we pay attention to not only what they say but also what they mean, by gauging information from all available signals from the speakers’ tone of voice, facial expression, body language, and emotion. Environmental listening allows us to understand the speakers’ thinking and feeling which also helps to validate what they say. It enables business leaders to establish trust and connection with their employees which in turn improves the transparency, innovation, and productivity of the organisation.
In summary, listening differs from hearing, it is an important skill and an essential leadership tool to develop effective communication, drive employee engagement and positive business outcomes. It requires concentration and practice. Understanding the techniques of active listening and level of listening helps people to develop their listening skills intentionally, and become a better listener and a mindful leader.
