Effective Listening Tips

Most people spend roughly 70% of their waking hours in some form of verbal communication. Yet, how many of us have ever had any formal training in the art of listening? Here are ten things you can do to improve your listening skills.

1. Approach the listening experience from a state of

To be centered is to be completely calm at a very deep level, to be without agendas or predispositions as to the outcome, and to be open to experience. Centeredness is a prerequisite to truly open listening. It sets the stage for the points below. For more on this topic, see Top Ten List #30, "Ten Ways to Develop Positive 'Ki' (Energy)"

2. Never rule out any topic of discussion as uninteresting.

Creative people are always on the lookout for new information. While some conversations may be completely inane, it's wise to make sure the subject is not worthwhile before tuning out completely.

3. Accept the speaker's message

On the face of it, this would seem to be an argument for gullibility--for believing almost anything anyone tells you. It's not. The point here is to withhold judgment during the immediate experience of listening. In accepting "as is", you're not making a determination as to the truth or falsity of the statement, you're simply acknowledging exactly what the speaker is saying--right or wrong, good or bad, true or false. This capacity for total acceptance frees the mind to listen for other clues, for example ...

4. Listen for the whole message.

One estimate has it that 75% of all communication is non-verbal. If you take away the words, what's left? Plenty, it turns out. Beyond the words themselves is a host of clues as to what the speaker is communicating. Some examples: posture (rigid or relaxed, closed or open); facial expression (does it support the words?); hands (clenched, open, relaxed, tense?); eyes (does the speaker maintain eye contact?); voice tone (does it match the words?); movement (are the speaker's movements intense, relaxed, congruent (with the message) or conflicting; do they suggest that the whole speech is "staged"?) What you're looking for here are inconsistencies between with is said and what is really meant, clues that tell you the spoken message isn't really genuine. Get the idea?

5. Don't get hung up on the speaker's delivery.

Then there are factors that simply reveal an awkwardness in delivery rather than any attempt to mislead. The key is being able to distinguish between the two. It's easy to get turned off when someone speaks haltingly, has an irritating voice, or just doesn't come across well. The key to good listening, however, is to get beyond the manner of delivery to the underlying message. In order for this to happen, you have to resolve not to judge the message by the delivery style. It's amazing how much more clearly you can "hear" once you've made the decision to really listen rather than to criticize.

6. Avoid structured listening.

It's popular among some communications teachers to recommend a format for listening, either in the form of questions ("What is the speaker's main point? What is he/she really saying?) or key words (e.g., purpose, evidence, intent). The problem with this approach is that it creates a dialogue of noise in the listener's mind which interferes with clear reception. Better to operate from the openness of the centered state (above) and receive the information just as it comes, without any attempt to structure or judge it. Think of your mind as similar to the central processing unit of a computer in which the data comes in and is stored without change, available for subsequent access.

7. Tune out distractions.

Poor listeners are distracted by interruptions; good listeners tune them out and focus on the speaker and the message. It's a discipline that lends itself to specific techniques for maintaining one's focus. Here are some things that will help: Maintain eye contact with the speaker; lean forward in your chair; let the speaker's words "ring" in your ears; and turn in your chair, if necessary, to block out unwanted distractions.

8. Be alert to your own prejudices.

This goes along with #3 above, but it's so important that you may want to think specifically about the impact of your prejudices on your ability to really hear what's being communicated. Often, we are unaware how strongly our prejudices influence our willingness and ability to hear. The fact is: any prejudice, valid of not, tends to obscure the message.

9. Resist the temptation to rebut.

Why is it that, when we hear someone saying something with which we strongly disagree, we immediately begin mentally formulating a rebuttal? Many reasons, but one of the most common is our natural tendency to resist any new information that conflicts with what we believe. Keep in mind: you can always rebut later, when you've heard the whole message and had time to think about it.

10. Take notes sparingly.

The world seems to be split between those who take prolific notes and those who take few or none, with each side equally strong in its position. I come down toward the latter view for this reason: the more focused you are on writing down what is being said, the more likely you are to miss the nuances of the conversation. There are two good ways around this dilemma. You can write down only key words and then, after the conversation, meeting, etc., go back and fill in, or you can take notes pictorially, that is, by diagramming what the speaker is saying. It's a technique called, "mind-mapping" and it was first popularized by a writer named Tony Buzan well over a decade ago in a book entitled, "Use Your Head". You may want to look up his books; he's written several.

Closing Comments

Are you an effective (good) listener?  Do you listen intently and try to understand what the sender means? Do you try to put your understanding of the message in your own words and feed back what you feel the communicator meant - without adding to or deleting anything from the message?

If so, you will reach a better understanding with the originator of the message.  Are you willing to enter the com­municator's world for a few moments and share his experiences through intensive listening?  By so doing, you can become an effective listener and convey a great kindness to him. At that point, you have taken a positive step toward improving your ability to communicate with others.

As Soon as You have Determined what type of Company you want to start and The investment requirements, you are ready to decide on
a location. The amount of aggressive businesses already in the region should affect your choice of location. Some areas are
overloaded with service channels or particular forms of restaurants. Check on the amount of your type of company from Census
figures, the yellow pages, or by checking out the place.

Factors other than the Possible market, availability of Workers And number of aggressive companies must be considered in choosing
a location. For example, how adequate are utilities - sewer, water, electricity, gas? Parking facilities? Fire and fire
protection? What about housing and environmental factors such as schools, cultural and community activities for employees? What is
the average cost of this location in taxes and rents? Check on zoning regulations. Assess the enterprise of the local
business-people, the aggressiveness of civic associations. In summary, what's the town soul? Such factors should provide you a
clue into the city or city's future.

Chambers of Commerce and nearby universities Normally Have made or Are knowledgeable about local surveys which may provide answers
to these questions and the many other questions that will happen to you.

Next you must decide in what area of city to locate. If the city is Very small and you are establishing service or retail
business, there will probably be little option. Only 1 shopping place is present. Cities have outlying shopping facilities in
addition to the central dining area, and shops spring up along principal thoroughfares and local streets.

Consider the shopping centre. It is different from other locations. The shopping center building is pre-planned as a merchandising
unit. The site was intentionally selected by a programmer. On-site parking is a frequent feature. Clients may drive in, park and
do their buying in comparative speed and safety. Some centers offer weather protection. Such amenities make the shopping center an
advantageous location.

There are also some limitations you ought to know about. As a renter, You become a part of a retailer group and must cover your
pro rata share of the budget. You must keep shop hours, light your windows, and place your signals according to established rules.
Many communities have restrictions on evidence along with the center management might have additional limitations. What's more, if
you're thinking about a shopping center for your first store you could have an additional issue. Developers and owners of shopping
facilities look for successful retailers.

The type and variety of merchandise that you carry helps determine the Type of purchasing place you choose. By way of example,
clothing shops, jewelry stores and department stores are more likely to be successful in buying districts. On the flip side,
grocery stores, drug stores, filling stations, and bakeries do better on principal thoroughfares and neighborhood streets outside
the shopping districts. Some kinds of shops customarily pay a low rent per square foot, while others cover a high rent. In
the"low" class are furniture, grocery and hardware stores. In the"high" are cigar, medication, women's furnishings, and department
stores. There is no hard and fast rule, but it is helpful to see in which type of place a shop like yours often seems to flourish.

After deciding an area ideal for your type of business, Obtain as many facts as possible about it. Check the competition. How many
similar businesses can be found nearby? What exactly does their sales volume appear to be? If you are establishing a shop or
support transaction, how far do people come to trade in the area? Are the visitors patterns positive? If the majority of your
customers will probably be local populations, research the population trends of the region. Is population climbing, static or
declining? Are the folks native-born, mixed or chiefly foreign? Are new ethnic groups coming in? Are they predominantly laborers,
clerks, executives or retired persons? Are they all ages or mostly retired, middle aged, or young? Judge buying power by checking
average home rental, typical real estate taxation, number of phones, number of automobiles and, if the figure can be obtained, per
capita income. Larger shopping centers have this sort of information out there, and will make it accessible to serious potential
tenants.

Zoning ordinances, parking availability, transport facilities And natural barriers - such as hills and bridges - are all important
factors in locating any sorts of business. Possible sources for this info are Chambers of Commerce, trade associations, property
businesses, local papers, banks, city officials, neighborhood retailers and personal observation. If the Bureau of the Census has
developed census tract data to the specific area where you are interested you will find this especially helpful. A census tract is
a small, permanently established, geographical place within a big city and its environs. The Census Bureau provides population and
housing characteristics for every tumor. This information can be valuable in measuring your marketplace or service potential.

Deciding upon the actual site within an area might well be accepting what you Can get. Very few buildings or plants will be
appropriate and at the exact same time, available. Should you have an option, be sure to consider the possibilities carefully.

For a production plant, consider the condition and suitability Of the building, transportation, parking facilities, and also the
type of lease. For A store or service establishment, check on the closest competition, traffic Flow, parking facilities, road
location, physical facets of the building, Kind of rental and cost, and the speed, cost and quality of transportation. Also
Investigate the history of the site. Find answers to these questions as: Has the Building remained empty for any length of time?
Why? Have various types of Stores occupied it for short periods? It may have proved unprofitable for them. Websites on which many
businesses have failed should be avoided. Vacant buildings Don't bring traffic and are generally regarded as poor neighbors,
therefore check on nearby unoccupied buildings.

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