Importance of

Active Listening
in Sales

Ruby Food Products Private Limited – Human Resources

Listening Vs Hearing
Hearing Listening

Act of Perceiving sound by the ear Requires concentration - brain - can process
meaning from what was communicated

Focused
Paying attention not only to the
story, but how it is told, the use of
language and voice, and how the
other person uses his or her body.
Aware of Verbal and Non verbal
Messages
Active listening is
Voluntary Intentional
Purpose of understanding the
Requires Motivation & Effort
meanings expressed by a speaker.
Degree to which we perceive and Always Listen at our Best
understand messages
Listening statistics

Time people
spend 75%
communicating

Time people
spend listening
55%

Remembering
what they hear 25%

Using different
listening styles
40%
 Listening and Responding process

Understanding

Hearing Interpreting Remembering

Evaluating

Responding
 Types of Listeners
Detached listener Involved listener
• Provides some direct eye conatct
• Avoids making eye-contact
• Has an alert posture
• Appears Withdrawn
• Gives the speaker some attention
• Lacks Enthusiasm
• Reflects on the messsage to a
• Seems Inattentive, Disinterested
degree
or Bored

Passive listener Active listener

• May or may not make eye contact • Has an alert posture
• Fakes Attention • Uses direct eye conatct
• Uses Little Energy or Effort • Gives full attention
• Apperas Calm and Laid Back • Focuses on what is said
• Participates fully
Types of Listeners
• Focus on the feelings of other people
• Listen with relationships in mind
People-oriented • Respond well to humor and illustrations

• strictly focused on the tasks

• Focus first on what will be done, what actions
need to happen, and when and who will do
Action-oriented them
• Focused on solving problems and keep to the
agenda in meetings

• Prefer credible sources

• Evaluate from different perspectives
Content-oriented and angles
• Know what are the facts and evidences

• Concerned with efficiency

• Don’t want the whole story; they just
Time-oriented want the facts that are pertinent
• Want the information to be clear and
to the point.
 Degrees of Active Listening
Exactly the same Using your own
Using similar words
words words
Rendering the message

Thinking and reasoning

Remembering

Paying attention

Perceiving

Repeating Paraphrasing Reflecting

Repeating the message Rendering the message Rendering the message
using exactly the same using similar words and using your own words and
words used by the speaker similar phrase sentence structure
arrangement to the ones
used by the speaker
 Passive Listener Vs Active Listener
Passive listener Active listener

Hear without trying to Try to understand the message

understand

Doesn’t engage in the

conversation Show signs of listening

Is easily distracted Pay full attention

 Characteristics of an Active Listener

Is open-minded Is self-motivated

Reflects on
Actively participates Connects
information
 Active Listening Anatomy

Focused brain Eyes looking at the person

Mouth silent so as to listen

Ears prepared to hear

Straight back
Open heart

Hands without moving Feet still on the floor

 Key Active Listening Skills

Paying close attention

Asking for clarification if needed

Posing open-ended inquiries

Being sensitive to feelings

Asking probing questions

Summarizing what you hear

Saying with your own words
Active Listening Skills

Paraphrasing Asking for clarification

Restating the speaker's
thought, in your own words.

Summarizing Asking open-ended quest.

Accurately and briefly
summarizing the intent of
their message

Reflecting feelings Asking probing questions

Beyond summarizing to identifying
feelings that the person may not have
identified, but their words and attitudes
point to such feelings
Benefits of Active Listening

Builds deep trust Improves your patience

Opens your mind Increases knowledge

Reduces misunderstandings Helps solving disagreements

 How can we effectively listen?

01 02 03 04 05

Check non- Don’t make Encourage Visualize Pay attention

verbals assumptions the what they to the
conversation say receiver
 How can we effectively listen?

Give full attention

Watch non-verbal language

Focus on the speaker

Rephrase the message

Identify the feelings behind

 How can we effectively listen?

Maintain eye contact Repeat back

Ask questions Don't interrupt

Try to understand Pay attention

 How to be an Active Listener ?

Pay close attention Repeat what you have heard

Don’t judge the speaker Show you’re focused

Don’t interrupt Give a short summary

 How to be a active listener?

Pay
Show attention to
Give you’re body signs
Avoid feedback listening
Keep eye distractions to them
contact
 Avoid these listening habits

Not showing respect

Being trapped in your

mind
Just hearing

Forgetting what the

said Interrupting the speaker

Rushing the speaker

Not making eye contact

Pretending to pay
attention
 Blocks to Active Listening

Rehearsing Judging

Daydreaming Filtering Distractions

Questions & Feedback