Unit 3
Effective Listening
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages within the communication process.
Listening is vital to all or any effective communication. Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. As a result, communication breaks down and therefore the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated.
If there's one communication skill you ought to aim to master, then listening is it.
Listening is so important that a lot of top employers provide listening skills training for his or her employees. This is often not surprising once you consider that good listening skills can cause better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, and increased sharing of data that in turn can cause more creative and innovative work.
Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening together of the most factors behind the success of Virgin.
Good listening skills even have benefits in our personal lives, including:
A greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and confidence, higher grades at college and in academic work, and even better health and general well-being.
Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood pressure, attentive listening can bring it down.
Listening isn't the same as Hearing
Hearing refers to the sounds that enter your ears. It's a physical process that, provided you are doing not have any hearing problems, happens automatically.
Listening, however, requires quite that: it requires focus and concentrated effort, both mental and sometimes physical also.
Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it's told, the use of language and voice, and the way the opposite person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being attentive to both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to concentrate effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages.
Listening isn't a passive process. In fact, the listener can, and will, be a minimum of as engaged within the process because the speaker. The phrase ‘active listening’ is employed to explain this process of being fully involved.
We Spend plenty of time Listening
Adults spend a mean of 70% of their time engaged in some kind of communication.
Of this, research shows that a mean of 45% is spent listening compared to 30% speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. (Adler, R. Et al. 2001). That is, by any standards, plenty of time listening. It's worthwhile, therefore, taking a touch of additional time to ensure that you listen effectively.
There is no doubt that effective listening is a particularly important life skill. Why is listening so important?
Listening serves variety of possible purposes, and the purpose of listening will depend upon things and the nature of the communication.
1. To specifically specialise in the messages being communicated, avoiding distractions and preconceptions.
2. To realize a full and accurate understanding into the speaker’s point of view and concepts.
3. To critically assess what's being said. (See our page on Critical Thinking for more).
4. To look at the non-verbal signals accompanying what's being said to enhance understanding.
5. To point out interest, concern and concentration.
6. To encourage the speaker to speak fully, openly and honestly.
7. To develop a selflessness approach, putting the speaker first.
8. To reach a shared and agreed understanding and acceptance of each side views.
To improve the method of effective listening, it is often helpful to show the problem on its head and look at barriers to effective listening, or ineffective listening.
For example, one common problem is that rather than listening closely to what someone is saying, we frequently get distracted after a sentence or two and instead start to think about what we are going to say in reply or think about unrelated things. This suggests that we do not fully hear the rest of the speaker’s message.
This problem is attributed, in part, to the difference between average speech rate and average processing rate. Average speech rates are between 125 and 175 words a minute whereas we will process on the average between 400 and 800 words a minute. It's a common habit for the listener to use the spare time while taking note of daydream or believe other things, instead of focusing on what the speaker is saying.
Of course, the clarity of what the speaker is saying also can affect how well we listen. Generally, we discover it easier to focus if the speaker is fluent in their speech, has a familiar accent, and speaks at an appropriate loudness for things. It's more difficult, for instance, to focus on somebody who is speaking very fast and very quietly, especially if they're conveying complex information.
We can also get distracted by the speaker’s personal appearance or by what somebody else is saying, which sounds more interesting.
These issues not only affect you, but you're likely to show your lack of attention in your body language.
Generally, we discover it much harder to regulate our body language, and you're likely to point out your distraction and/or lack of interest by lack of eye contact, or posture. The speaker will detect the matter, and probably stop talking at the best. At worse, they'll be very offended or upset.
The types of barriers to effective listening can be classified as follows:
- Physical Barriers
- Psychological Barriers
- Linguistic Barrier
- Cultural Barriers
- Environmental Barrier
Physical Barriers: The physical conditions of the listener can affect concentration and restrict the amount of information taken on. For example: 1. Headache 2. Hearing impairment 3. Tiredness 4. Discomfort, pain, illness
Psychological Barriers: Emotional states which are brought to the communications or result from it can come between what is being said and effective listening and understanding. For example: 1. Own Anxiety 2. Anger 3. Frustration – inability to put across ideas
Cultural Barriers- Different cultures possess different norms of social interactions and communication. Something deemed appropriate in one culture might not be the same in another. Body language and gestures play a vital role in non-verbal communication which might suffer due to cultural differences.
Linguistic Barriers: Linguistic barriers derive from the speaker and make it difficult for them to be listened to. They can be summarized as follow:
- Jargon or Specialist language
- Monotonous voice
- Inappropriate tone
- Hesitant manner
- Badly organized material
- Complex sentences
- Complex vocabulary
Environmental Barriers: The following, if encountered, can make us switch off from what is being said, to allow our minds to temporarily concentrate on our surroundings:
- The room too hot or too cold.
- The lighting too bright or too dim.
- Uncomfortable seating
- Smells
- Infrastructure
- Noise
Some other barriers to active listening include:
1. Ambiguity in the mind of the sender about the message.
2. Inability to convey the message as per the need and level of the receiver.
3. Inappropriate use of medium to convey the message.
4. Lack of understanding about the cultural differences of the listener.
5. Lack of the interest or inattentiveness of the receiver.
6. Listening with preconceived ideas or a prejudiced mindset.
7. Physical discomfort in terms of seating arrangements, hunger, thirst or nature’s call.
8. Noise e.g. Vehicles or murmur among the audience.
How to Overcome the Barriers to Active Listening
Below are some useful techniques for overcoming listening barriers:
1. Minimize Distractions
To avoid getting distracted, make sure you are physically facing the speaker and attempt to make frequent eye contact with them while they are speaking. Make sure you are seated or standing comfortably but appropriately so you can remain engaged. Put away your cell phone or any other pieces of technology that could become a distraction. The speaker will appreciate the gesture you have made to show them that they have your undivided attention.
2. Prioritize Listening Over Speaking
If you think you might be an excessive talker, try to practice self-control in conversation. Give the other person room to speak. During any conversation with a co-worker, wait until they’re finished speaking before you respond to show respect for what they’re saying. Finally, observe your listeners’ reactions as you talk. If you notice signs of distraction in someone you are speaking with, consider asking questions to encourage them to talk more and direct their focus back on the conversation.
3. Reduce Outside Noise
Minimize sound in your environment that could be distracting or make it more challenging to hear before beginning a conversation. A noisy environment can create distractions for both listeners and speakers, resulting in possible disruptions to conversations. Turn off mobile devices or place them on silent to minimize noise. Plan to hold important conversations in a place that you know will be quiet. It is often better to politely ask them to move elsewhere or keep the noise down, if someone is talking loudly outside your office or making other distracting noises.
4. Practice Reflecting Instead of Deflecting
To bond with your conversation partner or show them you’re engaged, you may feel eager to share your personal experiences when listening. A better approach to this typically involves merely listening and providing responses that focus on the other person’s situation. This shows that you’re genuinely invested in their side of the conversation.
Keep deflecting to a minimum and try reflecting to listen effectively. Reflecting involves paraphrasing back to the speaker what they have said. To accomplish that you may use language like, “What I am hearing from you is…” or “It sounds frustrating that that happened to you.” Reflecting could also involve asking questions based on what you have heard, such as “What did you do after he said that?” or “How did that make you feel?”
Reflecting assures your listener that you are paying close attention, it will also help to correct any possible misunderstandings. Reflecting allows the other person to correct what you may have misheard.
5. Ask Questions
Asking questions is an effective listening technique. Focus on asking questions based on what the speaker has already told you and are designed to elicit more information. The most significant questions are non-judgmental and flow directly from something the speaker has recently said.
6. Listen Fully Before Giving Advice
You may sometimes feel the temptation to offer advice after someone shares a problem or concern with you, especially if you want to help them solve that problem. However, you should not give advice unless the speaker specifically asks for it. People often share concerns simply to build bonds with friends, colleagues or to make a co-worker aware of a problem.
If you want to share advice, think first about whether the speaker is truly soliciting advice or just looking for a way to vent. Consider offering empathy instead of advice with responses such as, “That sounds frustrating,” or try reflecting instead.
The nature of listening can be understood by the various kinds of listening. Here are descriptions of the main types of listening and the processes involved in it:
- Discriminative listening:
Discriminative listening is the first form of listening humans develop as babies. This type of listening does not focus on words but rather the tone of voice and other subtleties of sound to understand meaning and intention. Babies don’t understand words, but they rely on their discriminative listening to understand who is speaking and what mood is being communicated. As an adult, you may find yourself relying on discriminative listening when people around you are speaking a foreign language that you don’t understand. Though you may lack the language skills to understand the words being spoken, you can rely on the tone of voice and inflection to derive a vague meaning. When you can only rely on discriminative listening, you may turn to visual stimuli. The mannerisms, facial expressions, and body language of a speaker help clue you in to the speaker’s message.
2. Comprehensive listening:
Comprehensive listening is the next level of critical listening skills that humans usually develop in early childhood. Comprehensive listening requires language skills and a grasp of basic vocabulary to understand what is being communicated through by the speaker. Comprehensive listening covers most other forms of listening that critical listeners utilize. Through the course of their day-to-day lives, people use comprehensive listening paired with verbal cues to understand what messages are being communicated to them.
3. Informational listening:
Informational listening (or informative listening) is the type of listening practices during the process of learning. Informational listening builds upon basic comprehensive listening and requires a high level of concentration and engagement to understand new concepts and comprehend technical jargon. Informational listening has less to do with the emotional content of what is being communicated and more to do with critical thinking and following a logical sequence as it is communicated. When you try to learn important skills that are being taught to you, it’s vital that you pay attention and use informational listening skills.
4. Critical listening:
Critical listening is the style of listening people use when they are trying to analyse and judge complex information that is being communicated to them. You might use critical listening if you’re problem-solving on the job and trying to decide if you agree with a proposal being floated by one of your co-workers. The word “critical” has multiple meanings, but in this case, it simply means that you are evaluating information—not necessarily passing judgment.
5. Biased listening:
Biased listening (or selective listening) is a type of selective listening where the listener only tries to understand what they want to hear. Biased listening is different from critical listening because the listener is not actually listening to the speaker's opinions but instead trying to confirm their own opinions. People generally do not realize that they are using a biased listening process. Biased listening can lead to a falsification of facts in the mind of a listener who is not in harmony with to what a speaker intends to communicate.
6. Sympathetic listening:
Sympathetic listening is an emotionally-driven type of relationship listening, wherein a listener processes the feelings and emotions of a speaker and tries to provide support and understanding in return. You might use sympathetic listening when a child tells you about trouble they had at school. In this case sympathetic listening is used to make the child feel heard and provide them with comfort and support. Sympathetic is useful in trying to establish a deep connection with another person, especially when that person is experiencing adversity.
7. Therapeutic and empathetic listening:
Therapeutic or empathetic listening is a listening process wherein a listener tries to understand the point of view of a speaker and imagines themselves directly in the speaker’s position. Empathetic listening (sometimes referred to as empathic listening) goes a step further than sympathetic listening in that an empathic listener will relate to the speaker’s experience as if it were their own.
It is often contested that speaking as a skill is more important than listening which is a common misconception. Listening is as important a skill as speaking if not more, as it is only by listening one can learn proper pronunciation and intonation of words which allows him to speak fluently.
Oral language skills including listening comprehension also are important for writing development. Although oral language skills aren't explicitly laid out in the developmental models of writing, they are essential component skills as writing requires generation of ideas, which then need to be translated into oral language.
Below are some areas where listening skills can prove to be extremely beneficial:
Academic Purpose
When one focuses on the material presented in a classroom, they will be able to identify not only the words used in a lecture but their emphasis and their more complex meanings. They will take better notes, and will more accurately remember the instructor’s claims, information, and conclusions. Many times, instructors provide oral cues about what is likely to appear in an examination, specific expectations for assignments and instructions on specific study material, hence active listening can be extremely beneficial.
Social Purpose
In a social setting, if a person genuinely listens to other people, they are often considered to be a good friend. Most people prefer "good listeners" over people who won't stop giving advice without even listening to a word the speaker is saying. Many people just wait for their turn to speak instead of trying to understand what someone is saying to them. Therefore, listening skills also help with one's social relationships.
Perceptual Purpose
A person who has the ability to listen properly is often considered an intelligent person. It is essential to let someone finish their thoughts before giving voice to one's own opinions. Listening silently while someone is speaking gives them a sign that they are being heard. This creates an image of a smart individual in the mind of the speaker.
Important for Public Speaking
When one listen's well to others without interrupting, they begin gathering up on more impressive ways to organize and present arguments. Which helps one understand how people think and what are the factors that influence them. While speaking publicly this can be helpful as one can assume how people will react to a certain argument. This also helps in connecting with people in general and potentially influencing them.
Listening skills are an essential part of good communication. When you are an attentive listener, you can begin to improve relationships, make decisions more effectively and reach agreements with others quickly. Here are some additional reasons why listening skills are important:
- Demonstrates your ability to pay attention to thoughts, behaviours and feelings of an individual
- Increases your power to influence, serve, motivate or develop people effectively
- Enables an organization to operate efficiently with the information they are given that may cause them to adapt to market trends or consumer needs
- Enhances basic human interaction
- Builds personal and professional relationships
Whether you’re seeking a new job opportunity, striving to earn a promotion or working to improve in your current role, improving your active listening skills will help you succeed. Much like critical thinking and conflict resolution, this soft skill will help increase your value as an employee.
Active listening in the workplace is important because it's a way to show your co-workers that you value what they have to say. During meetings or brainstorming sessions, active listening can help you fully absorb what others are sharing and think of meaningful ways to add to the conversation. When you show others that you are listening to them, they feel like you respect them. This is an important part of establishing open communication and camaraderie in the workplace.
Listening skills are also important to many business roles such as:
- Sales
- Negotiation
- Coaching
- Mentoring
- Interviewing
- Marketing research
- Facilitation
- Managing
Use of Effective Listening
From communicating with business partners to understanding market trends, good listening skills can give you a competitive advantage. The ability to understand the needs and requests of others can be easier when you practice active listening.
The most skilled listeners offer their complete attention, carefully process what they hear and respond empathetically. They also tend to be open-minded as they listen. As you develop your listening skills, you’ll find that you can participate more fully in conversations and offer more effective feedback.
Below are the various uses of effective listening skills:
1. Maintaining Eye Contact
When you are listening to someone talk, you should avoid looking out a window, texting or scrolling through your phone, or scanning a computer screen. Limit any unnecessary distractions, provide the speaker with your undivided attention and make an effort to look at them. This provides them with a nonverbal cue that you are interested in what they are saying, which encourages them to continue expressing themselves.
Consider that the speaker may not look at you because they might be shy, feel uncertain, or their culture may not use direct eye contact for communication. You should continue to face the speaker even if they do not look at you.
2. Visualizing
Try to conjure up mental images of what the speaker is talking about while you are listening to help retain information. This may be a literal picture or other concepts that relate to the topic. This will help you to remember keywords and phrases when you listen for long periods. Visualizing what the speaker is saying will also help you to not have to prepare for what to say next.
If you happen to lose focus, make sure to immediately refocus.
3. Limiting judgments
Listen without criticizing the speaker in your mind while they talk. Even if the message causes you agitation or alarm, try to avoid thinking about negative or judgmental comments because this compromises your ability to listen. You also want to listen with an open mind and understand that the person is giving you their perspective. You may realize that they make more sense as they continue to talk to you, and you won't know the full story without listening.
4. Eliminating distractions
If possible, remove any distractions from the area. If you’re at your desk, put paperwork away and close notebooks. Dim the screen on your computer or laptop to prevent yourself from staring at the screen or becoming distracted by incoming emails. Turn down the sound so you won’t hear alerts during your conversation.
Phones can be one of the biggest causes of distraction. To make sure you can maintain full focus, keep your phone on silent and put it in an area where you can’t see it or reach it easily.
If you’re attending a scheduled meeting, make sure you find a quiet room or space. Close the door to limit noise and external distractions. Try to make the area as comfortable as possible to enable focused listening.
5. Building a strong rapport
To encourage your conversation partner to share as much as possible, make the other person as comfortable as possible. In addition to removing distractions and focusing your attention on the other person, try subtly mirroring your conversation partner’s movements. Adopt a similar posture and use comparable body language as you listen. Reflect their facial expressions to indicate that you understand what they’re saying.
Rather than making your gestures and body language too similar to your conversation partner, make sure they reflect the other person’s mood. You’ll build a rapport with your conversation partner and establish trust, both of which are essential for being a good listener. You’ll also respond with empathy, which can open up lines of communication and help the conversation flow more naturally.
6. Non-Interruption
Everyone speaks and processes information at different rates. If someone is delivering their message slowly, try to cultivate patience and wait for them to finish before trying to rush them along by guessing the next thing they are going to say or replying before they have finished talking. Interrupting sends the wrong message to the speaker. It may suggest that what you have to say is more important, that you don't care about what they are saying or that the conversation is a competition.
It is also important to refrain from offering solutions. Most often people just want you to listen. However, if you have a brilliant idea, you may consider asking if you can share your ideas before you offer your solution.
7. Waiting for Pauses
You may not understand everything someone says to you. It is best to wait until they pause to ask them to back up and provide clarification for the topic or phrase you misunderstood.
8. Asking Questions
Asking clarifying questions helps to keep the conversation on topic. You only want to ask questions that pertain to your understanding rather than ask a question about something that is not related to the main idea the speaker is trying to get across. When you ask clarifying questions without interrupting, it shows that you are listening, paying attention and willing to discuss things further.
9. Empathizing
Empathy is essential to effective listening. You should mirror the emotions the speaker has. For instance, if their face conveys sadness or joy then your facial expressions and words should also convey similar emotions. Empathizing with the speaker takes concentration and expends energy, but it allows for open communication and establishes relationships.
10. Non-Verbal Ques
Most of the communication that takes place between individuals is nonverbal. You can learn a great deal about someone through their body language and tone of voice when they are communicating with you. It is easy to detect boredom, enthusiasm or irritation on someone's face when they talk depending on their eyes, mouth and position of their shoulders. Therefore, listening also includes paying attention to nonverbal cues. It helps you to make inferences based on what a person actually means when they are talking to you.
11. Providing Feedback
Feedback can be verbal and nonverbal. You can use verbal feedback by saying things like, "I understand," "that must be difficult," or "okay." You can use nonverbal cues such as nodding your head and using appropriate facial expressions.
The goal is to send signals to the speaker so they know that you are actively listening. In a situation where someone is giving you tasks, make sure to repeat the task list back to the speaker so they know you understand what you are supposed to do. Writing down what they say also shows attentiveness.
12. Practicing
You can practice listening by being aware of what you do when someone is talking to you. Do this by writing down what you heard, understood and acknowledged after an in-person interaction with someone, or listen to audiobooks or podcasts without any text in front of you. Try listening to no more than four-minute clips and replay them to see how much information you are able to retain. This will help you to become more aware of your role as a receiver of information and it can enhance your overall communication skills.
A considerably amount of communication—some estimates suggest over 50%—is non-verbal. Tone of voice, pace and emphasis are all a part of non-verbal communication.
However, your body language is additionally important. This includes how you stand, your facial expressions, the way you use your hands to emphasize your speech, and even whether and with whom you create eye contact.
There is more about the way to use body language to speak effectively in our page on body language. This includes considering how distant you're from your audience, and thus whether you need to exaggerate your gestures to form them clearer.
The importance of congruence –
Perhaps the foremost important aspect of effective communication is congruence.
For communication to be effective, your non-verbal communication must reinforce your words: the 2 must say the same thing. Non-verbal communication is far harder to disguise than verbal—if you see that someone’s body language is giving a special message from their words, it pays to listen to the non-verbal communication first because it is more likely to reflect their real views.
You may therefore get to put some thought into how you want to use body language and other non-verbal cues. This is often particularly important if you're trying to urge across a difficult or unwelcome message.
Nonverbal communication is the type of communication that is carried out without the use of words. Nonverbal communication is usually utilized as an aid to verbal communication. This type of communication employs gestures, body language, symbols and expressions.
Nonverbal actions office set the tone of the conversation. Nonverbal communication is useful for expressing one’s mood, opinion or reaction. Below are some forms of non-verbal communication:
Physical nonverbal communication: This is the sum of the physically observable. For instance, hand gestures, visual communication, facial expressions, the tone of one’s voice, posture, stance, touch, gaze, and so on. Research shows that nonverbal communication constitutes about 55% of our daily communications
These are subtle signals that are picked up as a part of our biological wiring. for instance, if you rest your head on your palms, it'll mean that you simply are very disappointed or angry. Similarly, other subtle hints will convey your reactions to the person you want to communicate with and vice-versa.
Paralanguage: This type of communication is carried out by the tone of one’s voice. It almost 38% of all the communication that we do every day.
Along with the tone of voice, the style of speaking, voice quality, stress, emotions, or intonation all serve the purpose of expressing intent and reaction. All of these aspects are not verbal.
Visual Communication - This type of communication is carried out with the help of drawings, illustrations, placards, presentations and symbols.
Aesthetic Communication: An important means of communication, however underrated, is art. Some of the strongest messages and inexpressible feelings and emotions have been conveyed through art throughout history.
Art as an effective form of nonverbal communication, has played an important role in influencing people even before documented history.
Appearance: First impressions formed by apparel, grooming, politeness, the colours one wears, all are essential mediums of communication.
Following are the various appropriate uses of Non-verbal Communication:
1. Replacing speech
Non-verbal communication is an effective way of communicating without speaking in both formal and informal settings. Not only can one express a lot without words through their expressions and gestures but one can also use non-verbal signs to supplement speaking.
Below are some ways by which non-verbal communication can replace or supplement verbal communication:
- Using hands, legs feet or the whole body to indicate something.
- Using gestures with fingers, hands and arms to express a point.
- Tilting of head such as nodding to say yes or no
- Using expressions to express joy, sadness, approval, disapproval, frustration etc.
2. Controlling conversation
During a conversation, both parties take turns to speak to express their thoughts. Therefore, if a conversation requires one to take control such as in a debate, non-verbal communication can be used to drag the ball into one's court.
Below are some ways by which one can take control of the conversation using non-verbal communication:
- Cutting into speech to take control.
- Using voice modulation and tone to retain control.
- Pausing between sentences to add dramatic effect.
- Stopping between sentences to allow others to speak.
- Leaning forward to show interest and request others to speak.
- Looking away or leaning backwards to show disinterest or unpreparedness to listen.
3. Impression through Appearance
As Non-verbal communication goes beyond bodily actions to anything that sends subtle messages, one's attire and the way they look in general can affect the audience in many ways. Thus, one's appearance can be a useful tool to create an impact on the listener.
Below are some things which can be used to create a lasting impression:
- Appropriate attire for a formal or informal setting and proper grooming.
- Personal accessories such as watches, jewelry, etc.
- Organization of workspace such as the setup of desks, chairs and computers.
- Status symbols such as cars, houses etc.
4. Expressing emotion
While Verbal communication is useful for expressing thoughts, Non-verbal communication is useful for expressing emotions and subtle feelings. The tone of one's voice, their expressions and their body language can tell much more about a person than words can. In particular, if one feels that he is unable to express emotions verbally, their words and body language can easily be in contradiction, sending messages that may be interpreted as stress or deceit.
Purpose of a group discussion is larger than simply judging your knowledge. The underlying reason why a GD is conducted is to assess you as a team member. You're alleged to possess a collection of group discussion skills to ace during this round.
Please undergo some crucial group discussion skills below to craft your very own GD strategy accordingly.
Reasoning
Try to find the GD topic category that you are comfortable with. Also, follow the news regularly to remain updated about Current Affairs. If you're good at debating, factual or social topics are your forte. Bookworms (or avid readers) may have an edge over the rest in abstract and situation-based topics.
Speaking
If the given topic is familiar, you must start the GD. Collect your ideas systematically (preferably in points) and start speaking. If not, attempt to jump in as a second or 3rd speaker. So as to talk confidently during a GD, commit yourself completely to English at least a week before the round.
You have to consciously train yourself to communicate in English sort of a pro. Build a good command over the language that you are going to be discussing in. So, listen to English songs, watch English movies and sitcoms, follow English news and read a newspaper daily for 15 days at least, before your GD.
Time Management
In the time given before the beginning of GD, define the topic, write 2-3 pros and cons and provides a 3-point structure to the discussion. The structure has relevancy typically for current affairs and social/factual topics. So, frame just 3-4 points for a turn and try to end those points in time.
Presentation
If you are ready to start then use a line or two to define the subject and spell out the structure.
Paraphrasing/summarizing
If you manage to go second or third then paraphrase the explanation of the topic, propose a structure if missed by the first speaker and provides a couple of some pros and cons.
Creativity
People speaking afterward should either attempt to repose on the points given by others or attempt to bring in a replacement dimension to the discussion. During a socially inclined topic, pitch every angle of the argument and take a middle path. Bring out different views and excerpts from the speeches/articles for a subject of current affairs. And for situation-based topics, attempt to have a couple of guidelines and follow them to hold forward the discussion
Listening
Once you're through with your point, listen passionately to what others are speaking. Nod if you agree. Keep watching others and understand their facial expression.
Proactive
If there are N people during a GD then you should be the N-th turn for raising your points. If you're speaking at N-1 or N-2 then you're dominating the GD which is really a good sign, so, in a group of 8 people, attempt to snatch the 6th-7th turn.
Public speaking
Once you get your chance to talk, speak slowly and with authority. Focus more on ensuring that your points are understood by people instead of becoming self-conscious or self-analysing your speaking skills or relevance of points.
Social engagement
Don’t be self-conscious and keep thinking or rehearsing your points. Use this point to know the points given by others. Use somebody’s point by rephrasing it and posting it to someone who has not engaged within the discussion so far.
Memory and recalling
Bringing an international perspective with statistics or an anecdote creates a good impression.
Writing
Write down just 4-5 words because you don’t want to risk a blank thought at your turn. It's an opportunity and it's happened to me variety of times when I thought of my argument but was completely blank when my turn came.
Analytics
The interviewer tests you on several parameters (especially your ability to see, articulate and conceptualize), not just on your points. So, make sure you're covering all the parameters. Give your ideas a structure, listen, bring the group back if they digress, give the topic a replacement dimension, build-up on someone else’s point, give credits to a fellow participant, etc.
• Leadership skills and initiative-taking ability
Taking initiative is indicative of your ability to impart direction to the group and define the key issue(s) along which the discussion has to progress. The three "Cs" which rank you high on this parameter are clarity (the details to be discussed), content (the vertical depth in each point) and confidence. The "Key Word Approach", wherein you begin with defining the dominant words within the topic then develop subsequent constructs, can assist you to initiate effectively. This may also demonstrate your leadership skills.
For example, during a topic like "Should Republic Day celebrations be redefined?", the key words are "Republic" and "redefined". Thus, a good strategy is often giving a backdrop against which this day is celebrated, then graduating to the way it's celebrated and finally talking about ways and means of redefining (if at all). If demonstrated properly, this skill gets you within the visible limelight and reflects your ability to break the ice and evoke a discussion! However, if mishandled (e.g., you'll begin on a high note then abruptly recede into an eerie silence), it puts you in an embarrassing position!
• Knowledge
Knowledge reflects your ability to possess an opinion on issues and concerns of contemporary relevance and hence your ability to attach with different aspects of the environment (economic, political, business, social, etc.). It assumes, even more, relevance for a fact-intensive topic like "Indian Economy within the post WTO regime". Here, knowledge becomes a pointy differentiator and helps you to leverage a robust competitive advantage. Unless you've got the requisite knowledge of the given topic, your discussion runs the danger of being shallow and superficial. Being well versed in current affairs and problems with concurrent importance can assist you to do well along this parameter.
• Group Dynamics:
This basically demonstrates the skill to strike a balance between individual excellence and group performance. An individual scoring high on this parameter are going to be more probable to work in groups and hence contribute effectively to organizations. It also reflects your team skills, listening skills and willingness to simply accept diverse viewpoints.
• Logical Ability/Analytical Skills
This indicates your ability to effectively flowchart your thought process and analyse the subject in a comprehensive manner. It reflects your ability to construct logical arguments and structure the discussion during a streamlined manner, avoiding random forays.
• Lateral Thinking:
This reflects your ability to think off the feet and contribute on a creative and unorthodox tangent. It's even more relevant for an abstract topic, where the scope to view the subject from an avant-garde angle is proportionately more (e.g. During a topic like "red and blue", somebody who translates this into a coke (red) and Pepsi (blue) warfare or discuss the marketing strategies of kingfisher (red) and jet (blue) or harp on the gender differences as mentioned in John Gray's "Men are from Mars (red) and women are from Venus (blue)", will certainly stand apart.)
• Communication Skills:
This evaluates the candidate's ability to attach with the group and is measured from a dual perspective - verbal and non-verbal. While verbal communication scores the student on parameters like fluency, articulation and modulation, the non-verbal quotient defines his/her adequacy vis-&-vis visual communication, gesticulation, eye contact and posture.
Unit 3
Effective Listening
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages within the communication process.
Listening is vital to all or any effective communication. Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. As a result, communication breaks down and therefore the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated.
If there's one communication skill you ought to aim to master, then listening is it.
Listening is so important that a lot of top employers provide listening skills training for his or her employees. This is often not surprising once you consider that good listening skills can cause better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, and increased sharing of data that in turn can cause more creative and innovative work.
Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening together of the most factors behind the success of Virgin.
Good listening skills even have benefits in our personal lives, including:
A greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and confidence, higher grades at college and in academic work, and even better health and general well-being.
Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood pressure, attentive listening can bring it down.
Listening isn't the same as Hearing
Hearing refers to the sounds that enter your ears. It's a physical process that, provided you are doing not have any hearing problems, happens automatically.
Listening, however, requires quite that: it requires focus and concentrated effort, both mental and sometimes physical also.
Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it's told, the use of language and voice, and the way the opposite person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being attentive to both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to concentrate effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages.
Listening isn't a passive process. In fact, the listener can, and will, be a minimum of as engaged within the process because the speaker. The phrase ‘active listening’ is employed to explain this process of being fully involved.
We Spend plenty of time Listening
Adults spend a mean of 70% of their time engaged in some kind of communication.
Of this, research shows that a mean of 45% is spent listening compared to 30% speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. (Adler, R. Et al. 2001). That is, by any standards, plenty of time listening. It's worthwhile, therefore, taking a touch of additional time to ensure that you listen effectively.
There is no doubt that effective listening is a particularly important life skill. Why is listening so important?
Listening serves variety of possible purposes, and the purpose of listening will depend upon things and the nature of the communication.
1. To specifically specialise in the messages being communicated, avoiding distractions and preconceptions.
2. To realize a full and accurate understanding into the speaker’s point of view and concepts.
3. To critically assess what's being said. (See our page on Critical Thinking for more).
4. To look at the non-verbal signals accompanying what's being said to enhance understanding.
5. To point out interest, concern and concentration.
6. To encourage the speaker to speak fully, openly and honestly.
7. To develop a selflessness approach, putting the speaker first.
8. To reach a shared and agreed understanding and acceptance of each side views.
To improve the method of effective listening, it is often helpful to show the problem on its head and look at barriers to effective listening, or ineffective listening.
For example, one common problem is that rather than listening closely to what someone is saying, we frequently get distracted after a sentence or two and instead start to think about what we are going to say in reply or think about unrelated things. This suggests that we do not fully hear the rest of the speaker’s message.
This problem is attributed, in part, to the difference between average speech rate and average processing rate. Average speech rates are between 125 and 175 words a minute whereas we will process on the average between 400 and 800 words a minute. It's a common habit for the listener to use the spare time while taking note of daydream or believe other things, instead of focusing on what the speaker is saying.
Of course, the clarity of what the speaker is saying also can affect how well we listen. Generally, we discover it easier to focus if the speaker is fluent in their speech, has a familiar accent, and speaks at an appropriate loudness for things. It's more difficult, for instance, to focus on somebody who is speaking very fast and very quietly, especially if they're conveying complex information.
We can also get distracted by the speaker’s personal appearance or by what somebody else is saying, which sounds more interesting.
These issues not only affect you, but you're likely to show your lack of attention in your body language.
Generally, we discover it much harder to regulate our body language, and you're likely to point out your distraction and/or lack of interest by lack of eye contact, or posture. The speaker will detect the matter, and probably stop talking at the best. At worse, they'll be very offended or upset.
The types of barriers to effective listening can be classified as follows:
- Physical Barriers
- Psychological Barriers
- Linguistic Barrier
- Cultural Barriers
- Environmental Barrier
Physical Barriers: The physical conditions of the listener can affect concentration and restrict the amount of information taken on. For example: 1. Headache 2. Hearing impairment 3. Tiredness 4. Discomfort, pain, illness
Psychological Barriers: Emotional states which are brought to the communications or result from it can come between what is being said and effective listening and understanding. For example: 1. Own Anxiety 2. Anger 3. Frustration – inability to put across ideas
Cultural Barriers- Different cultures possess different norms of social interactions and communication. Something deemed appropriate in one culture might not be the same in another. Body language and gestures play a vital role in non-verbal communication which might suffer due to cultural differences.
Linguistic Barriers: Linguistic barriers derive from the speaker and make it difficult for them to be listened to. They can be summarized as follow:
- Jargon or Specialist language
- Monotonous voice
- Inappropriate tone
- Hesitant manner
- Badly organized material
- Complex sentences
- Complex vocabulary
Environmental Barriers: The following, if encountered, can make us switch off from what is being said, to allow our minds to temporarily concentrate on our surroundings:
- The room too hot or too cold.
- The lighting too bright or too dim.
- Uncomfortable seating
- Smells
- Infrastructure
- Noise
Some other barriers to active listening include:
1. Ambiguity in the mind of the sender about the message.
2. Inability to convey the message as per the need and level of the receiver.
3. Inappropriate use of medium to convey the message.
4. Lack of understanding about the cultural differences of the listener.
5. Lack of the interest or inattentiveness of the receiver.
6. Listening with preconceived ideas or a prejudiced mindset.
7. Physical discomfort in terms of seating arrangements, hunger, thirst or nature’s call.
8. Noise e.g. Vehicles or murmur among the audience.
How to Overcome the Barriers to Active Listening
Below are some useful techniques for overcoming listening barriers:
1. Minimize Distractions
To avoid getting distracted, make sure you are physically facing the speaker and attempt to make frequent eye contact with them while they are speaking. Make sure you are seated or standing comfortably but appropriately so you can remain engaged. Put away your cell phone or any other pieces of technology that could become a distraction. The speaker will appreciate the gesture you have made to show them that they have your undivided attention.
2. Prioritize Listening Over Speaking
If you think you might be an excessive talker, try to practice self-control in conversation. Give the other person room to speak. During any conversation with a co-worker, wait until they’re finished speaking before you respond to show respect for what they’re saying. Finally, observe your listeners’ reactions as you talk. If you notice signs of distraction in someone you are speaking with, consider asking questions to encourage them to talk more and direct their focus back on the conversation.
3. Reduce Outside Noise
Minimize sound in your environment that could be distracting or make it more challenging to hear before beginning a conversation. A noisy environment can create distractions for both listeners and speakers, resulting in possible disruptions to conversations. Turn off mobile devices or place them on silent to minimize noise. Plan to hold important conversations in a place that you know will be quiet. It is often better to politely ask them to move elsewhere or keep the noise down, if someone is talking loudly outside your office or making other distracting noises.
4. Practice Reflecting Instead of Deflecting
To bond with your conversation partner or show them you’re engaged, you may feel eager to share your personal experiences when listening. A better approach to this typically involves merely listening and providing responses that focus on the other person’s situation. This shows that you’re genuinely invested in their side of the conversation.
Keep deflecting to a minimum and try reflecting to listen effectively. Reflecting involves paraphrasing back to the speaker what they have said. To accomplish that you may use language like, “What I am hearing from you is…” or “It sounds frustrating that that happened to you.” Reflecting could also involve asking questions based on what you have heard, such as “What did you do after he said that?” or “How did that make you feel?”
Reflecting assures your listener that you are paying close attention, it will also help to correct any possible misunderstandings. Reflecting allows the other person to correct what you may have misheard.
5. Ask Questions
Asking questions is an effective listening technique. Focus on asking questions based on what the speaker has already told you and are designed to elicit more information. The most significant questions are non-judgmental and flow directly from something the speaker has recently said.
6. Listen Fully Before Giving Advice
You may sometimes feel the temptation to offer advice after someone shares a problem or concern with you, especially if you want to help them solve that problem. However, you should not give advice unless the speaker specifically asks for it. People often share concerns simply to build bonds with friends, colleagues or to make a co-worker aware of a problem.
If you want to share advice, think first about whether the speaker is truly soliciting advice or just looking for a way to vent. Consider offering empathy instead of advice with responses such as, “That sounds frustrating,” or try reflecting instead.
The nature of listening can be understood by the various kinds of listening. Here are descriptions of the main types of listening and the processes involved in it:
- Discriminative listening:
Discriminative listening is the first form of listening humans develop as babies. This type of listening does not focus on words but rather the tone of voice and other subtleties of sound to understand meaning and intention. Babies don’t understand words, but they rely on their discriminative listening to understand who is speaking and what mood is being communicated. As an adult, you may find yourself relying on discriminative listening when people around you are speaking a foreign language that you don’t understand. Though you may lack the language skills to understand the words being spoken, you can rely on the tone of voice and inflection to derive a vague meaning. When you can only rely on discriminative listening, you may turn to visual stimuli. The mannerisms, facial expressions, and body language of a speaker help clue you in to the speaker’s message.
2. Comprehensive listening:
Comprehensive listening is the next level of critical listening skills that humans usually develop in early childhood. Comprehensive listening requires language skills and a grasp of basic vocabulary to understand what is being communicated through by the speaker. Comprehensive listening covers most other forms of listening that critical listeners utilize. Through the course of their day-to-day lives, people use comprehensive listening paired with verbal cues to understand what messages are being communicated to them.
3. Informational listening:
Informational listening (or informative listening) is the type of listening practices during the process of learning. Informational listening builds upon basic comprehensive listening and requires a high level of concentration and engagement to understand new concepts and comprehend technical jargon. Informational listening has less to do with the emotional content of what is being communicated and more to do with critical thinking and following a logical sequence as it is communicated. When you try to learn important skills that are being taught to you, it’s vital that you pay attention and use informational listening skills.
4. Critical listening:
Critical listening is the style of listening people use when they are trying to analyse and judge complex information that is being communicated to them. You might use critical listening if you’re problem-solving on the job and trying to decide if you agree with a proposal being floated by one of your co-workers. The word “critical” has multiple meanings, but in this case, it simply means that you are evaluating information—not necessarily passing judgment.
5. Biased listening:
Biased listening (or selective listening) is a type of selective listening where the listener only tries to understand what they want to hear. Biased listening is different from critical listening because the listener is not actually listening to the speaker's opinions but instead trying to confirm their own opinions. People generally do not realize that they are using a biased listening process. Biased listening can lead to a falsification of facts in the mind of a listener who is not in harmony with to what a speaker intends to communicate.
6. Sympathetic listening:
Sympathetic listening is an emotionally-driven type of relationship listening, wherein a listener processes the feelings and emotions of a speaker and tries to provide support and understanding in return. You might use sympathetic listening when a child tells you about trouble they had at school. In this case sympathetic listening is used to make the child feel heard and provide them with comfort and support. Sympathetic is useful in trying to establish a deep connection with another person, especially when that person is experiencing adversity.
7. Therapeutic and empathetic listening:
Therapeutic or empathetic listening is a listening process wherein a listener tries to understand the point of view of a speaker and imagines themselves directly in the speaker’s position. Empathetic listening (sometimes referred to as empathic listening) goes a step further than sympathetic listening in that an empathic listener will relate to the speaker’s experience as if it were their own.
It is often contested that speaking as a skill is more important than listening which is a common misconception. Listening is as important a skill as speaking if not more, as it is only by listening one can learn proper pronunciation and intonation of words which allows him to speak fluently.
Oral language skills including listening comprehension also are important for writing development. Although oral language skills aren't explicitly laid out in the developmental models of writing, they are essential component skills as writing requires generation of ideas, which then need to be translated into oral language.
Below are some areas where listening skills can prove to be extremely beneficial:
Academic Purpose
When one focuses on the material presented in a classroom, they will be able to identify not only the words used in a lecture but their emphasis and their more complex meanings. They will take better notes, and will more accurately remember the instructor’s claims, information, and conclusions. Many times, instructors provide oral cues about what is likely to appear in an examination, specific expectations for assignments and instructions on specific study material, hence active listening can be extremely beneficial.
Social Purpose
In a social setting, if a person genuinely listens to other people, they are often considered to be a good friend. Most people prefer "good listeners" over people who won't stop giving advice without even listening to a word the speaker is saying. Many people just wait for their turn to speak instead of trying to understand what someone is saying to them. Therefore, listening skills also help with one's social relationships.
Perceptual Purpose
A person who has the ability to listen properly is often considered an intelligent person. It is essential to let someone finish their thoughts before giving voice to one's own opinions. Listening silently while someone is speaking gives them a sign that they are being heard. This creates an image of a smart individual in the mind of the speaker.
Important for Public Speaking
When one listen's well to others without interrupting, they begin gathering up on more impressive ways to organize and present arguments. Which helps one understand how people think and what are the factors that influence them. While speaking publicly this can be helpful as one can assume how people will react to a certain argument. This also helps in connecting with people in general and potentially influencing them.
Listening skills are an essential part of good communication. When you are an attentive listener, you can begin to improve relationships, make decisions more effectively and reach agreements with others quickly. Here are some additional reasons why listening skills are important:
- Demonstrates your ability to pay attention to thoughts, behaviours and feelings of an individual
- Increases your power to influence, serve, motivate or develop people effectively
- Enables an organization to operate efficiently with the information they are given that may cause them to adapt to market trends or consumer needs
- Enhances basic human interaction
- Builds personal and professional relationships
Whether you’re seeking a new job opportunity, striving to earn a promotion or working to improve in your current role, improving your active listening skills will help you succeed. Much like critical thinking and conflict resolution, this soft skill will help increase your value as an employee.
Active listening in the workplace is important because it's a way to show your co-workers that you value what they have to say. During meetings or brainstorming sessions, active listening can help you fully absorb what others are sharing and think of meaningful ways to add to the conversation. When you show others that you are listening to them, they feel like you respect them. This is an important part of establishing open communication and camaraderie in the workplace.
Listening skills are also important to many business roles such as:
- Sales
- Negotiation
- Coaching
- Mentoring
- Interviewing
- Marketing research
- Facilitation
- Managing
Use of Effective Listening
From communicating with business partners to understanding market trends, good listening skills can give you a competitive advantage. The ability to understand the needs and requests of others can be easier when you practice active listening.
The most skilled listeners offer their complete attention, carefully process what they hear and respond empathetically. They also tend to be open-minded as they listen. As you develop your listening skills, you’ll find that you can participate more fully in conversations and offer more effective feedback.
Below are the various uses of effective listening skills:
1. Maintaining Eye Contact
When you are listening to someone talk, you should avoid looking out a window, texting or scrolling through your phone, or scanning a computer screen. Limit any unnecessary distractions, provide the speaker with your undivided attention and make an effort to look at them. This provides them with a nonverbal cue that you are interested in what they are saying, which encourages them to continue expressing themselves.
Consider that the speaker may not look at you because they might be shy, feel uncertain, or their culture may not use direct eye contact for communication. You should continue to face the speaker even if they do not look at you.
2. Visualizing
Try to conjure up mental images of what the speaker is talking about while you are listening to help retain information. This may be a literal picture or other concepts that relate to the topic. This will help you to remember keywords and phrases when you listen for long periods. Visualizing what the speaker is saying will also help you to not have to prepare for what to say next.
If you happen to lose focus, make sure to immediately refocus.
3. Limiting judgments
Listen without criticizing the speaker in your mind while they talk. Even if the message causes you agitation or alarm, try to avoid thinking about negative or judgmental comments because this compromises your ability to listen. You also want to listen with an open mind and understand that the person is giving you their perspective. You may realize that they make more sense as they continue to talk to you, and you won't know the full story without listening.
4. Eliminating distractions
If possible, remove any distractions from the area. If you’re at your desk, put paperwork away and close notebooks. Dim the screen on your computer or laptop to prevent yourself from staring at the screen or becoming distracted by incoming emails. Turn down the sound so you won’t hear alerts during your conversation.
Phones can be one of the biggest causes of distraction. To make sure you can maintain full focus, keep your phone on silent and put it in an area where you can’t see it or reach it easily.
If you’re attending a scheduled meeting, make sure you find a quiet room or space. Close the door to limit noise and external distractions. Try to make the area as comfortable as possible to enable focused listening.
5. Building a strong rapport
To encourage your conversation partner to share as much as possible, make the other person as comfortable as possible. In addition to removing distractions and focusing your attention on the other person, try subtly mirroring your conversation partner’s movements. Adopt a similar posture and use comparable body language as you listen. Reflect their facial expressions to indicate that you understand what they’re saying.
Rather than making your gestures and body language too similar to your conversation partner, make sure they reflect the other person’s mood. You’ll build a rapport with your conversation partner and establish trust, both of which are essential for being a good listener. You’ll also respond with empathy, which can open up lines of communication and help the conversation flow more naturally.
6. Non-Interruption
Everyone speaks and processes information at different rates. If someone is delivering their message slowly, try to cultivate patience and wait for them to finish before trying to rush them along by guessing the next thing they are going to say or replying before they have finished talking. Interrupting sends the wrong message to the speaker. It may suggest that what you have to say is more important, that you don't care about what they are saying or that the conversation is a competition.
It is also important to refrain from offering solutions. Most often people just want you to listen. However, if you have a brilliant idea, you may consider asking if you can share your ideas before you offer your solution.
7. Waiting for Pauses
You may not understand everything someone says to you. It is best to wait until they pause to ask them to back up and provide clarification for the topic or phrase you misunderstood.
8. Asking Questions
Asking clarifying questions helps to keep the conversation on topic. You only want to ask questions that pertain to your understanding rather than ask a question about something that is not related to the main idea the speaker is trying to get across. When you ask clarifying questions without interrupting, it shows that you are listening, paying attention and willing to discuss things further.
9. Empathizing
Empathy is essential to effective listening. You should mirror the emotions the speaker has. For instance, if their face conveys sadness or joy then your facial expressions and words should also convey similar emotions. Empathizing with the speaker takes concentration and expends energy, but it allows for open communication and establishes relationships.
10. Non-Verbal Ques
Most of the communication that takes place between individuals is nonverbal. You can learn a great deal about someone through their body language and tone of voice when they are communicating with you. It is easy to detect boredom, enthusiasm or irritation on someone's face when they talk depending on their eyes, mouth and position of their shoulders. Therefore, listening also includes paying attention to nonverbal cues. It helps you to make inferences based on what a person actually means when they are talking to you.
11. Providing Feedback
Feedback can be verbal and nonverbal. You can use verbal feedback by saying things like, "I understand," "that must be difficult," or "okay." You can use nonverbal cues such as nodding your head and using appropriate facial expressions.
The goal is to send signals to the speaker so they know that you are actively listening. In a situation where someone is giving you tasks, make sure to repeat the task list back to the speaker so they know you understand what you are supposed to do. Writing down what they say also shows attentiveness.
12. Practicing
You can practice listening by being aware of what you do when someone is talking to you. Do this by writing down what you heard, understood and acknowledged after an in-person interaction with someone, or listen to audiobooks or podcasts without any text in front of you. Try listening to no more than four-minute clips and replay them to see how much information you are able to retain. This will help you to become more aware of your role as a receiver of information and it can enhance your overall communication skills.
A considerably amount of communication—some estimates suggest over 50%—is non-verbal. Tone of voice, pace and emphasis are all a part of non-verbal communication.
However, your body language is additionally important. This includes how you stand, your facial expressions, the way you use your hands to emphasize your speech, and even whether and with whom you create eye contact.
There is more about the way to use body language to speak effectively in our page on body language. This includes considering how distant you're from your audience, and thus whether you need to exaggerate your gestures to form them clearer.
The importance of congruence –
Perhaps the foremost important aspect of effective communication is congruence.
For communication to be effective, your non-verbal communication must reinforce your words: the 2 must say the same thing. Non-verbal communication is far harder to disguise than verbal—if you see that someone’s body language is giving a special message from their words, it pays to listen to the non-verbal communication first because it is more likely to reflect their real views.
You may therefore get to put some thought into how you want to use body language and other non-verbal cues. This is often particularly important if you're trying to urge across a difficult or unwelcome message.
Nonverbal communication is the type of communication that is carried out without the use of words. Nonverbal communication is usually utilized as an aid to verbal communication. This type of communication employs gestures, body language, symbols and expressions.
Nonverbal actions office set the tone of the conversation. Nonverbal communication is useful for expressing one’s mood, opinion or reaction. Below are some forms of non-verbal communication:
Physical nonverbal communication: This is the sum of the physically observable. For instance, hand gestures, visual communication, facial expressions, the tone of one’s voice, posture, stance, touch, gaze, and so on. Research shows that nonverbal communication constitutes about 55% of our daily communications
These are subtle signals that are picked up as a part of our biological wiring. for instance, if you rest your head on your palms, it'll mean that you simply are very disappointed or angry. Similarly, other subtle hints will convey your reactions to the person you want to communicate with and vice-versa.
Paralanguage: This type of communication is carried out by the tone of one’s voice. It almost 38% of all the communication that we do every day.
Along with the tone of voice, the style of speaking, voice quality, stress, emotions, or intonation all serve the purpose of expressing intent and reaction. All of these aspects are not verbal.
Visual Communication - This type of communication is carried out with the help of drawings, illustrations, placards, presentations and symbols.
Aesthetic Communication: An important means of communication, however underrated, is art. Some of the strongest messages and inexpressible feelings and emotions have been conveyed through art throughout history.
Art as an effective form of nonverbal communication, has played an important role in influencing people even before documented history.
Appearance: First impressions formed by apparel, grooming, politeness, the colours one wears, all are essential mediums of communication.
Following are the various appropriate uses of Non-verbal Communication:
1. Replacing speech
Non-verbal communication is an effective way of communicating without speaking in both formal and informal settings. Not only can one express a lot without words through their expressions and gestures but one can also use non-verbal signs to supplement speaking.
Below are some ways by which non-verbal communication can replace or supplement verbal communication:
- Using hands, legs feet or the whole body to indicate something.
- Using gestures with fingers, hands and arms to express a point.
- Tilting of head such as nodding to say yes or no
- Using expressions to express joy, sadness, approval, disapproval, frustration etc.
2. Controlling conversation
During a conversation, both parties take turns to speak to express their thoughts. Therefore, if a conversation requires one to take control such as in a debate, non-verbal communication can be used to drag the ball into one's court.
Below are some ways by which one can take control of the conversation using non-verbal communication:
- Cutting into speech to take control.
- Using voice modulation and tone to retain control.
- Pausing between sentences to add dramatic effect.
- Stopping between sentences to allow others to speak.
- Leaning forward to show interest and request others to speak.
- Looking away or leaning backwards to show disinterest or unpreparedness to listen.
3. Impression through Appearance
As Non-verbal communication goes beyond bodily actions to anything that sends subtle messages, one's attire and the way they look in general can affect the audience in many ways. Thus, one's appearance can be a useful tool to create an impact on the listener.
Below are some things which can be used to create a lasting impression:
- Appropriate attire for a formal or informal setting and proper grooming.
- Personal accessories such as watches, jewelry, etc.
- Organization of workspace such as the setup of desks, chairs and computers.
- Status symbols such as cars, houses etc.
4. Expressing emotion
While Verbal communication is useful for expressing thoughts, Non-verbal communication is useful for expressing emotions and subtle feelings. The tone of one's voice, their expressions and their body language can tell much more about a person than words can. In particular, if one feels that he is unable to express emotions verbally, their words and body language can easily be in contradiction, sending messages that may be interpreted as stress or deceit.
Purpose of a group discussion is larger than simply judging your knowledge. The underlying reason why a GD is conducted is to assess you as a team member. You're alleged to possess a collection of group discussion skills to ace during this round.
Please undergo some crucial group discussion skills below to craft your very own GD strategy accordingly.
Reasoning
Try to find the GD topic category that you are comfortable with. Also, follow the news regularly to remain updated about Current Affairs. If you're good at debating, factual or social topics are your forte. Bookworms (or avid readers) may have an edge over the rest in abstract and situation-based topics.
Speaking
If the given topic is familiar, you must start the GD. Collect your ideas systematically (preferably in points) and start speaking. If not, attempt to jump in as a second or 3rd speaker. So as to talk confidently during a GD, commit yourself completely to English at least a week before the round.
You have to consciously train yourself to communicate in English sort of a pro. Build a good command over the language that you are going to be discussing in. So, listen to English songs, watch English movies and sitcoms, follow English news and read a newspaper daily for 15 days at least, before your GD.
Time Management
In the time given before the beginning of GD, define the topic, write 2-3 pros and cons and provides a 3-point structure to the discussion. The structure has relevancy typically for current affairs and social/factual topics. So, frame just 3-4 points for a turn and try to end those points in time.
Presentation
If you are ready to start then use a line or two to define the subject and spell out the structure.
Paraphrasing/summarizing
If you manage to go second or third then paraphrase the explanation of the topic, propose a structure if missed by the first speaker and provides a couple of some pros and cons.
Creativity
People speaking afterward should either attempt to repose on the points given by others or attempt to bring in a replacement dimension to the discussion. During a socially inclined topic, pitch every angle of the argument and take a middle path. Bring out different views and excerpts from the speeches/articles for a subject of current affairs. And for situation-based topics, attempt to have a couple of guidelines and follow them to hold forward the discussion
Listening
Once you're through with your point, listen passionately to what others are speaking. Nod if you agree. Keep watching others and understand their facial expression.
Proactive
If there are N people during a GD then you should be the N-th turn for raising your points. If you're speaking at N-1 or N-2 then you're dominating the GD which is really a good sign, so, in a group of 8 people, attempt to snatch the 6th-7th turn.
Public speaking
Once you get your chance to talk, speak slowly and with authority. Focus more on ensuring that your points are understood by people instead of becoming self-conscious or self-analysing your speaking skills or relevance of points.
Social engagement
Don’t be self-conscious and keep thinking or rehearsing your points. Use this point to know the points given by others. Use somebody’s point by rephrasing it and posting it to someone who has not engaged within the discussion so far.
Memory and recalling
Bringing an international perspective with statistics or an anecdote creates a good impression.
Writing
Write down just 4-5 words because you don’t want to risk a blank thought at your turn. It's an opportunity and it's happened to me variety of times when I thought of my argument but was completely blank when my turn came.
Analytics
The interviewer tests you on several parameters (especially your ability to see, articulate and conceptualize), not just on your points. So, make sure you're covering all the parameters. Give your ideas a structure, listen, bring the group back if they digress, give the topic a replacement dimension, build-up on someone else’s point, give credits to a fellow participant, etc.
• Leadership skills and initiative-taking ability
Taking initiative is indicative of your ability to impart direction to the group and define the key issue(s) along which the discussion has to progress. The three "Cs" which rank you high on this parameter are clarity (the details to be discussed), content (the vertical depth in each point) and confidence. The "Key Word Approach", wherein you begin with defining the dominant words within the topic then develop subsequent constructs, can assist you to initiate effectively. This may also demonstrate your leadership skills.
For example, during a topic like "Should Republic Day celebrations be redefined?", the key words are "Republic" and "redefined". Thus, a good strategy is often giving a backdrop against which this day is celebrated, then graduating to the way it's celebrated and finally talking about ways and means of redefining (if at all). If demonstrated properly, this skill gets you within the visible limelight and reflects your ability to break the ice and evoke a discussion! However, if mishandled (e.g., you'll begin on a high note then abruptly recede into an eerie silence), it puts you in an embarrassing position!
• Knowledge
Knowledge reflects your ability to possess an opinion on issues and concerns of contemporary relevance and hence your ability to attach with different aspects of the environment (economic, political, business, social, etc.). It assumes, even more, relevance for a fact-intensive topic like "Indian Economy within the post WTO regime". Here, knowledge becomes a pointy differentiator and helps you to leverage a robust competitive advantage. Unless you've got the requisite knowledge of the given topic, your discussion runs the danger of being shallow and superficial. Being well versed in current affairs and problems with concurrent importance can assist you to do well along this parameter.
• Group Dynamics:
This basically demonstrates the skill to strike a balance between individual excellence and group performance. An individual scoring high on this parameter are going to be more probable to work in groups and hence contribute effectively to organizations. It also reflects your team skills, listening skills and willingness to simply accept diverse viewpoints.
• Logical Ability/Analytical Skills
This indicates your ability to effectively flowchart your thought process and analyse the subject in a comprehensive manner. It reflects your ability to construct logical arguments and structure the discussion during a streamlined manner, avoiding random forays.
• Lateral Thinking:
This reflects your ability to think off the feet and contribute on a creative and unorthodox tangent. It's even more relevant for an abstract topic, where the scope to view the subject from an avant-garde angle is proportionately more (e.g. During a topic like "red and blue", somebody who translates this into a coke (red) and Pepsi (blue) warfare or discuss the marketing strategies of kingfisher (red) and jet (blue) or harp on the gender differences as mentioned in John Gray's "Men are from Mars (red) and women are from Venus (blue)", will certainly stand apart.)
• Communication Skills:
This evaluates the candidate's ability to attach with the group and is measured from a dual perspective - verbal and non-verbal. While verbal communication scores the student on parameters like fluency, articulation and modulation, the non-verbal quotient defines his/her adequacy vis-&-vis visual communication, gesticulation, eye contact and posture.