Chapter 6


LISTENING IS A SIGN OF WISDOM

By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze


Listening is a noble act.
It is a mark of wisdom.

The Five Basic Skills
         Every human is endowed with at least five (5) skills, which are: speaking, reading, writing, listening and thinking. To become a good listener is not only good, but also compulsory in our life.

What Do We Listen To?
         Everyday, we find ourselves in different life situations in which we are expected to listen attentively. The situations include: teachings, lectures, greetings, conversations, news, sermons, instructions, debates, directives, information, audio and video messages, etc.

What To Listen For
  1. Listen for the main points.


  2. Listen for the supporting details.


  3. Listen for signals: the keywords that tell us in a nutshell what is said. They are: explain, conclude, outline, consider, illustrate, discuss, etc.


  4. Listen to make predictions. By listening, you are able to understand what is being said, and thereby enabled to predict what may be said next. By so doing, you ensure good communication and encourage the speaker to continue.


  5. Listen for chronological order. The order helps us understand organization, relationship and presentation of a speech. Examples of chronological words are: next, first, presently, yesterday, some years ago, etc.


  6. Listen to recognize digressions, which are often intended to enliven a discussion.

How To Avoid Poor Listening Habit
  1. Avoid distractions like noise, shouting, blaring horn or traffic disturbance.


  2. Avoid over eating or drunkenness.


  3. Control your emotions: anger, outburst, complains, etc.


  4. Pay attention.


  5. You may have to stop what you are doing in order to listen.


  6. Consider the realities and implications of what you hear.


  7. Do not show intolerance or impatience.


  8. Have enough rest and sleep.


  9. Ensure good health, so that aches, pairs and upsets do not hinder your ability to listen.


  10. Do not keep yourself busy with another thing when full attention is needed.

How To Improve Your Listening Efficiency
  1. Pay attention.


  2. Anticipate.


  3. Welcome a good conversation.


  4. Take notes or write down points and outlines.


  5. Avoid hasty conclusions or premature judgments.


  6. Ignore the personal mannerisms of the speaker, such as banging on the desk, incessant cough.


  7. Ask questions, where necessary.


  8. Make contributions where appropriate.


  9. Do not mope or jeer at a speaker.


  10. Do not show indifference.


  11. Do not complain of being disturbed, delayed or bordered.


  12. Understand jokes and respond to them with smile, laughter or comment.