A GUIDE TO ACTIVE LISTENING

Although I am an Ag communications major, I am not always the best listener. Sometimes I have too short of an attention span, and I now understand why. "Most people speak at a rate of about 100 to 125 words per minute, but they have the capacity to think or listen at a rate of 400 or more words per minute!" (pg. 126 of Communicating in Small Groups). With such a difference in rates, no wonder I have such a hard time paying attention.

~There are a few things that I can work on to become a better listener. According to the textbook, I should stop, look, listen, ask appropriate questions, paraphrase content, and paraphrase feelings. Most of these skills, I already have. I think I just need to work on keeping focused during conversations and trying my hardest not to let my mind wonder. This fact will be especially helpful during our group meetings.

~At our past meeting, I found myself working harder to pay attention to everything my group was saying. Although I did not agree with everything that was talked about, I was proud of myself for being attentive. In the future, if I keep my mind focused I know I can be a better active listener.

Audrie Koester-post 2