Sunday, October 17, 2010

Learn to be a better listener















Where can you learn how to become a better listener? The American Communication Association (ACA) has an excellent module in their ACA Public Speaking - The Open Knowledge Guide called Listening: The “Lost” Communication Skill that you can read online here, or download as a 16-page Acrobat .pdf document here.

You also can go here to download a vintage illustrated pamphlet about how Listening is a 10 Part Skill. It reprints a four-page magazine article by Ralph G. Nichols which appeared in Nation’s Business back in 1957. Those 10 parts are:

1. Find areas of interest
2. Judge content, not delivery
3. Hold your fire
4. Listen for ideas
5. Be flexible
6. Work at listening
7. Resist distractions
8. Exercise your mind
9. Keep your mind open
10. Capitalize on thought speed

The content still is relevant, and the drawings are still funny.

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