Listening Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Listening Skills - Essay Example I am unable to support this with research data, but it is my firm conviction. The countenance of silent persons looks better, than the parted lips of those individuals who are ever ready to announce something on any topic, any time, in any situation. Listeners are respected everywhere; glib takers get selective reception! Though listening is a great skill, especially for the public relations people, this is one of the neglected segments of the communication skills. Formal training courses are available and diplomas are awarded for reading, writing and speaking—but not for listening! You see workshops and conferences arranged for all types of communication skills, except listening! One can be forced to write, read or speak. But one can’t be forced to listen. Listening is a mind function, though we suppose that it is primary job of two ears. Research results have proved that listening skills suffer with age. â€Å"Ralph G. Nichols, long-time professor of rhetoric at the University of Minnesota (now retired), says in his book Are You Listening? --that "if we define the good listener as one giving full attention to the speaker, first-grade children are the best listeners of all." (Listening...) Let me give a simple, real-life example, how bad listening can create (un) pleasant situations. I have recently joined a Non-governmental Organization and posted at the Public Relations Department. There are many part-timers who do honorary assignments for NGOs after their office/business hours. On the third day of my joining, a lady attached to the NGO, who looked after the â€Å"Women Empower Department,† telephoned to me. She called me, and enquired if I am the man who has been posted at the Public Relations Department. On getting the affirmative reply, she asked my introduction, name to be precise, and I said, â€Å"My name is Mallya.† I do no know whether she heard it properly or not, but she immediately began to reel off lots of