Learning to Listen

Using active and reflective listening skills can help improve the effectiveness of oral communication.


Learning Objectives

Explain active and reflective listening as techniques for improving the effectiveness of oral communication


Key Takeaways

Key Points

  • Communication is an activity that involves a both sender and an audience, or receiver. While the sender must focus on making sure the message is clear, the receiver has to show that the message is received and understood.
  • Active listening is a process of attending carefully to what is being said and how the speaker says it.
  • Reflective listening focuses on personal elements of communication rather than the abstract ideas. It deals with the emotional content of communication.

Key Terms

  • Interpretation: An act of explaining what is obscure.
  • active listening: The process of attending carefully to what a speaker is saying, involving such techniques as accurately paraphrasing the speaker's remarks.
  • receiver: A person who receives a signal.

Effective oral communication is the responsibility of both the sender and the recipient. While the sender must focus on making sure the message is clear, the receiver has to show that the message is received and understood. For the sender, content, channel choice, and understanding of the audience matter most. For the recipient, listening skills are paramount. Listening is an interaction between speaker and listener. The listener's use of active and reflective listening skills can help improve communication effectiveness.


Active Listening

Active listening is a process of attending carefully to what is being said. It also involves the listener observing the speaker's behavior and body language. One way to demonstrate this attention is for the listener to show understanding by paraphrasing what the speaker has said. Paraphrasing can confirm the accuracy of the listener's interpretation or identify the need for clarification. Conversely, when individuals show disinterest or distraction when someone is speaking, it reveals an absence of listening that can frustrate, annoy, and even anger the speaker.

a man not listening to a woman talking to him

Not listening: Failing to listen to a speaker can create anger, resentment, and misunderstanding.


Reflective Listening

Reflective listening focuses on personal elements of the communication rather than the abstract ideas. Reflective listening should be feeling-oriented and responsive. The listener should show empathy and concern for the person communicating. A good reflective listener concentrates on the discussion at hand while allowing the speaker to lead the communication. Verbal response is essential for reflective listening. Listeners should make statements that paraphrase what is said, clarify what appears to be implicit, and reflect the emotion or feeling they sense from the speaker. Being able to understand and articulate the meaning behind the words helps receivers better interpret the information and messages they hear.