{"id":866,"date":"2022-04-11T01:59:43","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T01:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-oswego-businesscommunicationmgrs2\/?post_type=chapter&p=866"},"modified":"2023-03-29T15:58:46","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T15:58:46","slug":"2-4-listening-and-reading-for-understanding-2","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-oswego-businesscommunicationmgrs2\/chapter\/2-4-listening-and-reading-for-understanding-2\/","title":{"raw":"2.4 Active Listening","rendered":"2.4 Active Listening"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n

Learning Objective<\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Explain the importance of becoming an active listener and reader.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    As the popular author and Hollywood entrepreneur Wilson Mizner said, \u201cA good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while, he knows something.\u201d Learning to listen to your conversational partner, customer, supplier, or supervisor is an important part of business communication. Too often, instead of listening we mentally rehearse what we want to say. Similarly, when we read, we are often trying to multitask and therefore cannot read with full attention. Inattentive listening or reading can cause us to miss much of what the speaker is sharing with us.<\/p>\r\n

    Communication involves the sharing and understanding of meaning. To fully share and understand, practice\u00a0active listening and reading<\/strong>\u00a0so that you are fully attentive, and fully present in the moment of interaction. Pay attention to both the actual words and for other clues to meaning, such as tone of voice or writing style. Look for opportunities for clarification and feedback when the time comes for you to respond, not before.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n

    When the Going Gets Tough<\/h2>\r\n

    Our previous tips will serve you well in daily interactions, but suppose you have an especially difficult subject to discuss, or you receive a written document delivering bad news. In a difficult situation like this, it is worth taking extra effort to create an environment and context that will facilitate positive communication.<\/p>\r\n

    Here are some tips that may be helpful:<\/p>\r\n\r\n