Clear and effective communication constitutes a very large part of any PR professional’s responsibilities. Advancements in technologies have taken the place of some face-to-face communication, but being able to speak to someone in person is still a very big part of PR. Whether one is speaking to a single individual or a large audience, one needs to be able to communicate clearly.
Communication involves more than just speaking. Listening and feedback are two very important, yet often underdeveloped skills. Almost everyone knows someone who tends to space out when you are speaking to them. One of my friends will start singing to herself while I am speaking to her sometimes. It drives me CRAZY!!! I may not be the best multi-tasker in the world, but I’m pretty sure that listening is done best when one can hear what another person is saying. However, I can not just point the finger at others. I am guilty of similar offenses, though I consider mine to be a little less obvious. So how do we become better listeners who, in turn, provide relavant feedback to the speaker? Below is an exerpt from a short article on how to listen:
- Give your full attention on the person who is speaking. Don’t look out the window or at what else is going on in the room.
- Make sure your mind is focused, too. It can be easy to let your mind wander if you think you know what the person is going to say next, but you might be wrong! If you feel your mind wandering, change the position of your body and try to concentrate on the speaker’s words.
- Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk. Speakers appreciate having the chance to say everything they would like to say without being interrupted. When you interrupt, it looks like you aren’t listening, even if you really are.
- Let yourself finish listening before you begin to speak! You can’t really listen if you are busy thinking about what you want say next.
- Listen for main ideas. The main ideas are the most important points the speaker wants to get across. They may be mentioned at the start or end of a talk, and repeated a number of times. Pay special attention to statements that begin with phrases such as “My point is…” or “The thing to remember is…”
- Ask questions. If you are not sure you understand what the speaker has said, just ask. It is a good idea to repeat in your own words what the speaker said so that you can be sure your understanding is correct. For example, you might say, “When you said that no two zebras are alike, did you mean that the stripes are different on each one?”
- Give feedback. Sit up straight and look directly at the speaker. Now and then, nod to show that you understand. At appropriate points you may also smile, frown, laugh, or be silent. These are all ways to let the speaker know that you are really listening. Remember, you listen with your face as well as your ears!
I like to get to the point when discussing things like when I’m going to meet a friend for lunch or what my schedule looks like for the rest of the day. I think my listening skills are the worst in the middle of the day when someone wants to chat before asking a question about schedueling a get-together or some other business that really only takes a few minutes to do. I should give my full attention to someone who is speaking to me, if only for a few minutes, and politely let them know if I need to be on my way. Committing myself to a conversation despite time limits will definitely improve my listening skills.
