Adyson Stewart
Liberty University
BUSI300
James Bower
Listening takes skill and intentionality; explain this truth by discussing ways to avoid bad
listening habits and identify the benefits of being an effective listener.
It is essential to have good listening skills at work and in everyday life. According to
Battell (2018), most people are able to think three times faster than they can talk. This leaves
room for distractions. In spite of the fact that effective listening can be challenging to master, it is
a skill that can be acquired and developed with practice.
Among the bad habits that hinder our listening abilities such as, preparing to speak, and
being closed-minded, another very common bad listening habit is interrupting. This causes
speakers to forcefully stop in the middle of a sentence. Rather, listeners should wait until a
speaker makes his or her entire point before asking questions or responding. The act of
interrupting not only prevents you from listening effectively but also disturbs other listeners.
We should also spend time preparing to listen rather than preparing to speak. "If one
answers before he hears, it is his folly and shame." (Proverbs 18:13). While others speak, we
frequently think about what we will say in response rather than listening and comprehending
what is being said. This encourages us to keep an open mind when listening to others speak as
well.
If you are attending with a closed mind and you hear a word or phrase that you might
disagree with, you will most likely immediately think 'Here we go again' and tune out everything
the speaker has to say. This most commonly happens regarding something political. Ernest
Hemingway once said, "I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never
listen." This is so true! Listening is the key to effective relationships, at home and in the office.
"Job satisfaction increases when people know what is going on, when they are heard, and when
they participate in the mutual trust that develops from good communication."
(Lehman, Dufrene, & Walker, 2018, ch. 2)ReferencesLehman, C., DuFrene, D.,
&Walker, R. (2018). BCOM (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage learning.
Battell, C. (2018). Effective Listening. [Ebook] ASTD Press. Retrieved from
http://proquest-safaribooksonline-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/book/communications/978156
2864293/listening-pays-off/ch_2_html?uicode=liberty
