CommunicationLearning Goal

Participant will understand •why listening is a challenge, and •how to remain more focuses on what others are saying.

Communicating Time

How much time out of your waking day do you think you actually spend communicating with others? (Clock Partner)

Of that, how much is spent on Reading? Writing? Talking? Listening?

Estimate with partner then table

Online timer: www.online-stopwatch.com

Communicating Time Data

We spend 70% of our time communicating with others.

Strive to be better communicators!

Listening Questionnaire

Listening Questionnaire Scoring

31-35 points = Effective Listener 21-30 points = Good Listener 14-20 points = Not-so-good Listener 13 points or less = Huh?

Chalk Talk

Chalk Talk is a method for having a silentsilent discussion about an important issue.

You can only respond using words, phrases, sentences, drawings, or symbols.

You can agree (circle or underline), disagree, question, add to, connect, or elaborate upon.

Chalk Talk Questions

Listening is a challenge (spend 45% of your time listening!)

Average person speaks at 150 words per minute (wpm). Average person can hear at 1000 wpm.

What are some bad habits of listening?What are some bad habits of listening? How can you stay focused on what the How can you stay focused on what the

other person is saying?other person is saying? Share out.Share out.

Chalk Talk Activity

This is a silent activity - No TALKING please. Facilitator ensures each person has marker,

responds or comments in writing to question posed, and ensures that group is silent.

Timer tracks time (5 minutes). Draw lines between similar words or circle

them to denote patterns. After 5 minutes, switch with another group to

the other question; add words and identify patterns.

Bad Habits

Interrupt often Try to finish other’s

sentences Jump to conclusions Offer unsolicited

advice Make up mind before

have all info Compulsive note

taker

Fail to give response

Impatient Lose temper when

not in agreement Change subject to

something relating to own experience

Think more about reply

Avoiding Bad Habits

From time to time, most people are guilty of exhibiting many or most of the bad habits.

It’s human nature, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you exhibit a lot of them.

Be aware of them. Be aware of your tendency to fall into them. Consciously try to avoid them.

Staying Focused

Concentrate on what speaker is saying, including words, voice inflections, rate of speech, body language, etc. (as many as possible).

Avoiding thinking about a response. Interact with short verbal affirmations (“I see”)

and nonverbally with small gestures (::nod::). Avoid interrupting. Do not finish other’s sentences.

Summary

Listening is a challenge because Most of us spend 45% of our time listening! Average person speaks at 150 words per

minute (wpm). Average person can hear at 1000 wpm. This gives us a lot of time. Many of us fall into bad habits during that time.

Use various strategies to stay focused on what the other is saying and not being distracted by your own thoughts.