In every communication
setting, the listener as well as the speaker is very important. But it is
unfortunate that we usually want to be speakers rather than listeners. Even
when we listen, we do not listen to understand what is being said, but only to
reply.
Good speakers are also
good listeners, so it is better to balance the two if you haven't been doing
that already. In this article, we shall look at some kinds of listeners.
1. Absent-minded listener
A person who is
absent-minded is usually absent in mind; easily distracted or preoccupied with
something other than the current event he or she is present at. A student
can be in the classroom, but his mind may be somewhere else. Teachers
detest this! If a listener is absent-minded, it affects the communication
process. Because he or she is not paying attention, he or she cannot give good
feedback or contribution to the discussion. If you are often absent-minded in
your conversations with people, turn over a new leaf. It can be a very annoying
behaviour!
2. A fake listener
There are some listeners
who pretend they are listening, but, in fact, they are not. They are often
caught unawares when the speaker expects an answer/response from them. Their
common lines are "Pardon?", "I didn't get what you said",
"The line was faint", "Network problem" (especially on
phone), etc.
If you are not
interested in having the conversation, don't pretend you are. Kindly let the
person know.
3. Bored listener
If someone is bored out
of his mind or brains, the person is extremely bored or is suffering from
boredom. Such a person becomes uninterested or pays no attention to
what is going on. Such is a bored listener! Whatever is said goes in one ear
and out the other. The subject under discussion may be boring to him or her so
he or she focuses the attention on something else.
Have you ever attended a
boring lecture? In 300 words, describe the feeling. Don't say it is
indescribable! Lol!
4. Purposive/Selective
listener
This kind of listener
chooses what to listen to and what not to listen to. In a conversation, he or
she is only interested in a certain subject/topic. When that topic is on the
table for discussion, he or she is attentive and active, but once the
topic is off the table, he or she reverts to any of the three kinds of
listeners above.
5. Impatient
listener
An impatient listener is
always in a haste to interrupt or interject the speaker. He or She always has
something to chip in. He or She is too quick to reply, instead of listening to
understand what is being said.
© Eric Nuamah Korankye
(Hamlet)
Tags:
Articles
