When we talk about listening skills, the first thing that can be addressed is hearing and listening. In other words, 'is listening to the same as hearing'? If the answer is no, can you describe each and categorize them by their characteristics?
Listening is the ability to receive information appropriately and interpret the perceived messages in communication. Hearing is the ability to perceive the sounds we hear, whereas listening requires more than that: listening requires focusing.
Listening accompanies paying attention to the context and how the message was delivered; we pay more attention to the language, the voice, and how the speaker's emotion is added to the voice. Therefore, we should be aware of both verbal and nonverbal messages when talking. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the level of your comprehension and understanding of the message.
To be successful in interpersonal communication and follow the message exchanges, we must discriminate the information we listen to and comprehend them accurately. There are two types of general listening: discriminative listening and comprehensive listening. These two types of listening skills lead us to another level of listening skills called active listening. Active listening is an essential component of interpersonal communication and interview success.
By practice, we can improve our discriminative and comprehensive listening skills and become active listeners. We can develop your functional listening skill through constant appropriate practice and patience to develop active listening skills.
Active listening skills are critical for communicating with someone or attending formal settings like a classroom, meeting, or presentation. Functional listening skills enable you to become an effective communicator and build your confidence.
By taking our classes, you can improve your active listening skills and become a great communicator.