November Blog Post

A lot of people don't understand that there is a huge difference between hearing and listening. During the first month or so in class we discussed these differences. Hearing is purely biological and people hear things throughout their day. Listening is when you take those noises and you comprehend the meaning of them. Being able to listen to these noises is a very important tool to have in your life. Having good listening skills can improve your success in the workforce 
 According to Bob Moulesong, "The United States Department of Labor Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) identified five competencies and three foundation skills that are essential for those entering the workforce." Listening skills were found to be critical by SCANS. Having good listening skills will improve your productivity in the workforce. For example, having good listening skills means that you have the ability to better understand your assignments and what is expected of you by your management. Having these skills can also help you build a better relationship with your coworkers, management and clients. If you are able to listen to instruction well and complete your tasks with minimal follow-up, your employers will instill more confidence in you. You will also find it easier to problem solve with your clients as a good listener. Another benefit of good listening is working well with others. For instance, if you get an assignment at work as a group, if you listen well and understand the task, you are more likely to do your part of the job correctly; meaning your part of the work will fit in with your coworkers results. 
Becoming a good listener is not something that happens over night. There are however some tricks you can use to try and obtain better listening skills. For example, try and maintain eye contact with the speaker. This tells the speaker that you are listening to what they are telling you. Another important tip is to not interrupt the speaker. If you just wait to hear the speaker out before asking questions, you might find that some of your questions will already be answered. If you still have a question after hearing the speaker out, you should first repeat the instructions and then ask your question. Another tip is to try and control your body language as much as possible. For instance, try and sit still while listening. This shows that you are paying full attention to the speaker. You can also nod your head every now and then as this shows agreement. Lastly, do your best to pay attention to the speakers nonverbal messages such as their facial expressions and their posture. Paying attention to what the speaker does not say is just as important as what they do say.