Types Of Listening Insights
 Part Three

  Part 3 - Part 2

Listening Is Seeing - From Another's Perspective

Different types of listening empowers we Humans to lay the groundwork in anticipation of accomplishing genuine communication. A moment or two of sober Reflection informs us that anything else is self deluding.

Listening is seeing from another Human Being's perspective. Sometimes, perspectives coincide, often they don’t. Creating a comprehension gap.

Genuine communication, attained in conjunction with other principles of Personal Development, such as Tolerance, and Goodwill, closes this gap, allowing all involved parties to mutually benefit from every interchange.

The moment this advantageous for all scenario manifests into Reality, we Humans are listening effectively.

The most effective listening comes about when one is competent, and confident, with all the other types of listening. Problem solving - of any and every description - is paramount to an effective listener.

Listening plays a major role in effective communication. Allowing Intelligent Beings to arrive at equitable solutions, instead of descending into the ever tempting, yet dangerous mire, of squabbling and bickering practiced by the less educated.

Mighty Important

Whatever pursuit one may be involved in, that other person's perspective can be mighty important. Exemplified by the ubiquitous sales scenario.

If we are in the business of selling, knowing what the customer wants, because one listens to customers, so that an individual customer's requirements are defined and understood, makes supplying those requirements a satisfying - and profitable - experience for buyer, and seller.

Argue with the customer and one is likely to not only lose the sale, but the customer as well. For ever. Manifesting undesirable consequences that vindicate the folly of not being familiar with just one of the fundamentals of listening.

On this page we take a look at the final four main types of listening covered in this series.

Last Four Main Types Of Listening

Customer Listening

Conversational Listening

Conversational Listening is probably the least demanding of all the types of listening. We can converse and discuss informally in a relaxed manner, swapping stories, or exchanging ideas and information. Or merely indulge in small talk.

All the while taking the golden opportunity to be an attentive listener, congenially practicing the various types of listening.

This author is an advocate of allowing the other party to do most of the talking. Objections to this policy, are as rare as Hens teeth!!

When one meets another with the same  healthy attitude, it results in a productive, intelligent exchange of ideas.

Exchanging ideas is one of the most valuable activities we Humans can involve ourselves in. Leaving all parties privy to the conversation richer for the experience.  

Even so, we should not take ourselves too seriously . . . 

American born Writer and veteran Television Commentator, the late Andy Rooney, whacks the nail on the head with his mildly mocking observation that . . .

“In a conversation, keep in mind that you’re more interested in what you have to say than anyone else is”

Listening For Pleasure

Listening for pleasure is the most readily understood and appreciated of all the types of listening. It needs little elucidating. You will be familiar with listening to music of your choice, or the sound generated by a hobby. Listening to one's spouse - I mean that! - or Listening to our children, and grandchildren.

Chatting to friends is high on the list, as is listening to a professional speaker with the power to hold one spellbound with his or her knowledge and delivery style. The bonus of learning something new, or anew, can never be discounted.

Imagine how idyllic the World would be if we extrapolated our ability to listen for pleasure to all the other types of listening.

Listening for pleasure encompasses any sound in our immediate environment we are grateful for possessing receptive ears that enable one to hear it.

The above Thought too, deserves a moment of reflection, so as . . . 

To bring to our mindful attention, just how important the art of listening is to the state of the World we are creating.

Effective Listening

Effective listening is the most powerful of all types of listening, and works best when all parties to a communication understand what is required for it to succeed. When executed in Harmony, effective listening is in it’s element when Humans are solving problems.

Any problem. On purpose.

Whilst engaged in Effective Listening, it is the responsibility of the individual to be an actively aware part of a collective moral compass, that never deviates from the path of Good.

Effective listening has the capacity to dissolve enmity between two squabbling Nations that threaten their own, and their neighbors, well-being.

Effective Listening has the capacity to rescue a failing marriage. It holds the power to resolve incomprehensible violence between individuals. Or find solutions to Humanities contributions to global warming. 

Effective Listening is a pivotal component in the construction of outstanding businesses, and has more than proven it's utility to Human endeavor by taking us to the Moon - and beyond.

Chaos Too

Just as readily - effective listening can produce chaos, as History so plainly informs us. Our current state of affairs - Good and evil - is a direct product of this type of listening.

Ultimately, effective listening is instrumental to attaining a predetermined objective, decided by consensus and requires the commitment of all involved in attaining that objective.

The absolute importance of being competent in all main types of listening prior to any individual attempting to engage in utilizing effective listening, can be profoundly appreciated by the fact that effective listening almost always results in action.

Good or evil action.

When one applies discriminative and critical listening to any situation, we gain a clear picture of the direction supporting a given speaker will take us. These two types of Listening equip one with invaluable and indispensable Tools when filtering any and all information.

We can then make our choice.

Akin to choosing to go to the Moon, there is phenomenal potential in communicating in total Harmony, to achieve that choice.

All Types Of Listening Rock!

Part 3 - Part 2

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