KEYNOTE 4 – UNIT 10

Write an essay of at least 250 words about the causes of losing listening
and your ways to listen better.

In today's high-tech, high-speed, high-stress world, communication is

more important then ever, yet we seem to devote less and less time to
really listening to one another. Genuine listening has become a rare gift—
the gift of time. It helps build relationships, solve problems, ensure
understanding, resolve conflicts, and improve accuracy. In this essay, I
would provide some causes that limit our listening and also suggest some
tips to be a better listener.

There are many barriers that can impede effective listening. Firstly, low
concentration, or not paying close attention to speakers, is detrimental to
effective listening. It can result from various psychological or physical
situations such as visual or auditory distractions, physical discomfort,
inadequate volume, lack of interest in the subject material, stress, or
personal bias. Secondly, focusing too much on the least important
information can also lead to ineffective listening. When listeners give equal
weight to everything they hear, it makes it difficult to organize and retain
the information they need. Thirdly, when listening to a speaker's message,
it is common to sometimes overlook aspects of the conversation or make
judgments before all of the information is presented. Listeners often
engage in confirmation bias, which is the tendency to isolate aspects of a
conversation to support one's own preexisting beliefs and values. Finally,
in the case of listening, distracting or larger-than-life elements in a speech
or presentation can deflect attention away from the most important
information in the conversation or presentation. These distractions can
also influence the listener's opinion.

There are some tips to help you overcome those above barriers against
listening. First, think of listening as a form of meditation. You have to
clear your mind of everything else, so you can focus entirely on what the
other person is saying. Make sure your phone is off or away from you.
Second, listening, done well, is an act of empathy. You are trying to see the
world through another person’s eyes, and to understand their emotions.
That’s not going to happen if you are judging the other person as they’re
talking. It will dampen the conversation, because you will be sending all
sorts of subtle nonverbal cues that you have an opinion about what they’re
saying. If you go into the discussion with the main goal of understanding
their perspective, free of any judgment, people will open up to you,
because they will feel they can trust you to respect what they are saying.
Finally, if you show interest and energy, people will respond and share
what they know and how they learned it. It’s a fast and free education, plus
you’ll build relationships. That may seem like a statement of the obvious,
but surprisingly few people act on it.

In conclusion, because listening is becoming an increasingly rare skill,

you’ll be a standout if you make the effort.