Abstract
The University of Massachusetts conducted an experiment in which they trained six students in “attending skills” — such as an interested posture and eye contact. Then they recorded a lecture the students attended with a visiting professor. The students were told to adopt typical non-attending student behaviors at the beginning of the lecture. The professor lectured from his notes, spoke in a monotone and paid little attention to the students. According to Ivey and Hinkle, “At a prearranged signal, however, the students began deliberately to physically attend. Within half a minute, the lecturer gestured for the first time, his verbal rate increased, and a lively classroom session was born. Simple attending had changed the whole picture. At another signal, the students stopped attending, and the speaker, after awkwardly seeking continued response, resumed the un-engaging lecture with which he began the class.”1
Listening is sometimes called “the neglected communication skill” — perhaps because it looks easy, passive, and instinctive. Experience tells us, however, that it’s anything but. It takes effort, energy, and skill to be a good listener. But the rewards are well worth the effort. And not only because it makes us better communicators — effective listening can help other people communicate better too.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
A. Ivey and J. Hinkle (1970) “The Transactional Classroom.” Unpublished manuscript, University of Massachusetts. Cited in R. Bolton (1987) People Skills: How to Assert Yourself Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts (East Roseville, Australia: Simon & Schuster).
B. T. Ferrari (2012) Power Listening: Mastering the Most Critical Business Skill of All (New York: Penguin).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2015 Tim Baker and Aubrey Warren
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Baker, T., Warren, A. (2015). Active Listening Can Make Other People Better Communicators Too. In: Conversations at Work. Palgrave Pocket Consultants. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137534187_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137534187_11
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-53416-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-53418-7
eBook Packages: Palgrave Business & Management CollectionBusiness and Management (R0)