Listening 101

Recently, I read two interesting articles, one by Jianying Lu’ titled, The Listening Style Inventory (LSI) as an Instrument for Improving Listening Skills, and the other, Can computer-mediated communication democratize the workplace? written by Nerissa Nelson.
At the end of Jianying Lu’s article there is a brief questionnaire designed to give the reader insight into their personal listening style. I scored in the “involved” (2005, p. 50) listener category. This rating basically states that I typically give a speaker most, lets say 80%, of my attention. This was not an earth shattering realization; however, it was significant for me at this point in my career and life. How so you say? It is significant because it is reflective of a crossroads I have reached. I can stay at my status quo, which everyone I know is thoroughly impressed with due mainly to the variety of skill sets I have amassed through my well utilized tuition benefits, or I can choose to put forth actual effort and rise to the level of achievement I know I am capable of. Since I am not one that is comfortable with inaction it is intrinsically necessary for me to pursue the latter, hence this Master’s degree where I am actually reading the books!

The information Lu presents on listening applies to my current work setting because it is critical in the evaluative process of the entrepreneurship programs we offer at the Small Business Development Center at Columbus State. An example came from the evaluations of a partnership training we did with Shiny Door on Social Networking. The training provided an extensive overview of the social media platforms of Facebook and LinkedIn however some of the participants were having difficulty connecting the dots of how they can use these tools for business purposes. We used this feedback to develop the primary track at our annual Ohio Growth Summit. This year, June 10th, we will show how social media can be used to have a direct impact on the traditional business sales process.

There isn’t much if anything I can disagree with in Lu’s article. A great point is made when Lu states, “Communication effectiveness depends on several factors: the skill of the sender; clarity of purpose, effectiveness of the message itself, appropriateness of the channel, receptivity of the receiver, communication skill of the receiver, and feedback” (Lu, 2005, p. 47) . This is the most significant concept that I garnered from this article. The statement reflects that consistently, successful communication requires that the sender put forth more effort in choosing the appropriate method of delivery for their message and verifying that the message was received by the receiver as intended. Going forward I’ll use this information and take pause to give more thought to the purpose and delivery of my messages prior to speaking. This will be even more important when interacting with other cultures. Terms and common metaphorical phrases in the U.S. may not be interpreted in the same manner by other cultures or may even be heard as offensive.

Another layer added to the communication process that presents its own challenges as well as a wealth of opportunities are the newer and popular communication tools such as email, instant messaging, and blogging. While this technology provides us with the ability to extend our reach to what in some cases accounts for millions of listeners, what it does not give us is the immediate feedback of a face to face conversation, preventing our ability to adjust our message during the delivery. In this case it is crucial enough forethought goes into written messages to minimize the possibility of misinterpretation.

Equally important is for the sender to not see this type of computer-mediated communication as automatically transcending hierarchical, or chain of command business structures. While some would argue that computer-mediated communication “reduces information gaps by providing a tool for peripheral employees…to be connected to all people within an organization” (Nelson, 2000, p. 1), others, including me, would credit acceptation and adoption to the management and administration of the organization. Censorship and the requirement of employees to adhere to the established hierarchy effectively prevent the democratization of the workplace.
So the moral here? Put down the Blackberry when having a conversation and don’t email the President of your organization directly without receiving explicit permission. Chao!

References:
Lu, J. (2005). The Listening Style Inventory (LSI) as an Instrument for Improving Listening Skill. Sino-US English Teaching , 45-50.

Nelson, N. (2000, June). Can computer-mediated communication democratize the workplace? Retrieved February 24, 2009, from Allbusiness.com: www.allbusiness.com/print/975057-1-22eeq.html