Anticipate Obstacles to Active Listening
Active listening isn’t possible under conditions that distract us. In any listening situation, including that of listening to speeches, try to identify and overcome some common obstacles.
Minimize External and Internal Distractions
A listening distraction is anything that competes for attention we are trying to give to something else. Distractions can originate outside of us, in the environment (external distractions), or within us, in our thoughts and feelings (internal distractions).
External listening distractions—anything from the din of jackhammers to competing conversations to poor lighting—can significantly reduce listening rates and interfere with the active listening process. To minimize these distractions, try to anticipate and plan for them. For example, if you struggle to see or hear at a distance, arrive early and sit in the front.
So often we attend an event, whether it be a class lecture or a major speech, and fail to follow the speaker’s words. We might be tired or upset about something that occurred prior to the event. To reduce these kinds of internal listening distractions, make some intentions for yourself. Avoid daydreaming and monitor yourself for lapses in attention. Plan on being well rested for any important speaking event you attend.
Guard against Scriptwriting and Defensive Listening
When we engage in scriptwriting, we focus on what we, rather than the speaker, will say next.14 Similarly, people who engage in defensive listening decide either that they won’t like what the speaker is going to say or that they know better. When you find yourself scriptwriting or listening with a defensive posture, remind yourself that effective listening precedes successful rebuttal. Try waiting for the speaker to finish before devising your own arguments.
Beware of Laziness and Overconfidence
Laziness and overconfidence can manifest themselves in several ways: We may expect too little from speakers, ignore important information, or display an arrogant attitude. Later, we discover that we missed important information.
Refrain from Multitasking
You cannot actively listen well while multitasking. Activities such as checking a cell phone or calendar, finishing an assignment, or responding to a text divert our attention from the message and reduce our ability to interpret it accurately. Just as you can’t focus on driving while texting, you cannot focus on listening while focusing on other tasks.
DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS DURING DELIVERY OF A SPEECH
Problem: Passing distractions (chatting, entry of latecomers)
- Solution: Pause until distraction recedes
- Problem: Ongoing noise (construction)
- Solution: Raise speaking volume
- Problem: Sudden distraction (collapsing chair, falling object)
- Solution: Minimize response and proceed
- Problem: Audience interruption (raised hand, prolonged comment)
- Solution: Acknowledge audience reaction and either follow up or defer response to conclusion of speech
ETHICALLY SPEAKING
The Responsibilities of Listening in the Public Arena
As a speaker you have the power of the podium, but as a listener you also have considerable power that you can wield constructively or destructively. An example of the latter includes rude listening behaviors such as heckling, name-calling, interrupting out of turn, and other breaches in civility. Beyond short-circuiting communication, these acts can easily lead to explosive results—from menacing clashes among activists on opposite sides of a cause to eruptions at town hall meetings and other civic venues.
The ability to dissent from prevailing opinion is one of the hallmarks of a free society. As listeners, we are ethically bound to refrain from disruptive and intimidating tactics that are meant to silence those with whom we disagree. If we find the arguments of others morally offensive, we are equally bound to speak up in refutation. Only in this manner can we preserve the freedom to express our ideas. Clearly, the power to listen can translate into being socially responsible or socially destructive.
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Work to Overcome Cultural Barriers
Overcoming cultural barriers to listening is important in all contexts of communication, including public speaking. Differences in dialects or accents, nonverbal cues, listening styles (see nearby Cultural Perspective box), and even physical appearance can serve as barriers to listening—but they need not do so if you focus on the message rather than the messenger.
- Consciously refrain from judging a speaker on the basis of his or her accent, appearance, or demeanor; focus instead on what is actually being said. Put yourself in the speaker’s shoes, and imagine what it would be like if you were addressing an audience in a new language.
- Whenever possible, reveal your needs to the speaker by asking questions. Try to gain clarification by asking questions. Turn confusion into curiosity and an opportunity to learn about other people’s experiences.
- Ask appropriate questions.15
Whether as a speaker or an audience member, grappling with conflicts rooted in cultural differences demands empathetic listening and the suspension of disbelief that are central to dialogic communication.