B.Com 1st Year Body Language Very Short Question Answer Notes

Q.8. What is meant by listening? Explain the different types of listening. Or What is listening process? (2016) 

Or What is listening?(2018) 

Ans. Every oral communication involves process of listening and is incomplete until and unless the message is understood by recipient. So, listening refers to ‘hearing with thoughtful attention. But converse is not necessarily true. We often hear without listening. It has been showed by researches that 70% of our waking time is passed in communication of which 45% is attribute listening,

‘Listening process can be defined as the process of perception of what is being communicated! 

Types of Listening: Listening can be of four types as follows. 

1. Discriminative Listening: When the listener differentiates between parts of the speaker’s message, it is called discriminative listening.

For example: While listening to his subordinates a manage

differentiates between the important and unimportant points of their grievance and takes action accordingly. The important point is ignored. 

2. Evaluative Listening: Listening is said to be evaluative when the evidence and reaches a conclusion. A good listener comes to a conclusion on the basis of complete information.

3. Appreciative Listening: Here the listener shows by words or body language that he likes some part of a speech and agrees with the speaker. Listener’s appreciation and applause improves that nfidence of the speaker and boosts his morale.

4. Empathic Listening: When the listener puts himself in the position of the speaker, it is called empathic listening. A tactful manager allows the speaker to give vent to his pent up emotions and shows his feelings. Such listening develops healthy human relations.

Q.9. What is effective listening? Explain the barriers of effective listening.

Ans. Effective Listening: Effective listening is a skill where multiple senses are used to grasp messages. Effective listening is not just about using the ears to hear but it also involves using other senses such as the eyes to observe body language and capture the underlying messages.

Barriers of Effective Listening: Main barriers of effective listening can be summarised as follows:

1. Hearing Problem: Hearing disability is a barrier to effective listening. It is a physical problem tamental. Number of such persons are generally very small in an organisation and can or removed through treatment by the doctor.

2. Overload of Message: When the mind of listener is overloaded by the messages, then he does not easily absorb the message and is unable to understand it properly. If the message or statement is lengthy, illogical and not orderly arranged, then it leads to ineffective listening.

3. Self-centred Attitude or Egotism: One of the common barriers of listening is egotism or selfcentred attitude. Thinking that my own ideas are more important than others or ‘myself is always right and the other is wrong is the major problem in the way of listening. Listening requires open mind but when mind is closed for the other person’s message, then there will be no listening.

4. Rapid Thoughts: The speaker talks about 125 words per minute whereas the listener can absorb information at a rate of 500 words per minute. This provide free time for the mind to divert to other matters than concentrating on the speaker’s message. That is why, we feel bored to hear the persons talking slowly.

5. Wrong Perceptions and Negative Emotions: Wrong perceptions also create interruption in the effective listening. We do not listen to what the other is saying but what we want to listen. We try to add, subtract or colour the message according to our own whims and wishes. Negative feelings like hatred, jealousy, illusion, anger, etc. also communicate negative and opposite meaning. Thus, our pre-conceived ideas and perceptions hinder the listening process.

6. Cultural Diversity: Modern business organisations activities are spread over various regions and localities and the persons belonging to different communities and culture work in these organisations. Even if all of them use common language, yet their accent will differ because of cultural and local diversity. This is a barrier to listening.

7 Lack of Training: Listening is one of the greatest mindful activities which requires conscious work and practice to learn and master it. It requires patience to learn and master it. It requires patience of sitting passively, alertness, absorbing other persons’ words with suspension of judgement for the time being. 

Q.10. What are the tools to make listening effective? 

Ans. The tools to make listening effective are as follows:

1. Stop talking as it is impossible to talk and listen at the same time. 

2. Fight off all distractions. 

3. Be patient and let the speaker say whatever needs to be said. 

4. Be emphatic and appreciate the emotion behind the speakers words. 

5. Be fully attentive. 

6. Create a positive listening environment.

7. Use feedback mechanism to check understanding. 

8. Withhold judgement until you have heard fully. 

9. Ask questions and seek clarifications wherever necessary 10. React to the message, not to the person.