How Good are Your Listening Skills?
Understanding Someone's Entire Message
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For many of company officers, listening is the communication skill we use the most. Yet, most of us succumb to distraction and either don't hear what is said or effectively process the meaning of a partially understood message. Improving this important skill is critical to your success.
Poor listeners "hear" what's being said, but they rarely "listen" to the whole message.
They get distracted by their own thoughts or by what's going on around them, and they formulate their responses before the firefighter they're talking to has finished speaking. Because of this, they miss crucial information.
Company officers that are good listeners enjoy better relationships, because they fully understand what firefighter is saying. Their firefighters are also more productive, because they feel that they can discuss problems easily, and talk through solutions.
You can learn to be a better listener. Test your skills below, and then find out how you can improve.
How Good are Your Listening Skills?
The interactive listening skills assessment in this unit helps you identify the aspects of listening to firefighters and others so that you can improve. From there you will be directed to specific tools that will help you improve your listening skills. Take the assessment below, and click the "Score my Assessment" button at the foot of the test the assess your listening skills.
Instructions
Note: This assessment tool is private and your score is not recorded or accessible by your instructor. It is for private personal reflection and to help you find areas where you are strong, and others where you can improve.
For each statement, click the button in the column that best describes you. Please answer them as you actually are, rather than how you think you should be, as this will give you the most accurate feedback. You can redo this assessment as many times as you want over time to reassess your progress. When you are finished, click the "Score my Assessment" button at the bottom.
Rate these Statements about Yourself |
Not at All | Rarely | Sometimes | Often | Very Often | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 To be more productive, I respond to emails and instant messages while I'm speaking to firefighters on the phone. | ||||||
| 2 I repeat points back during a conversation to clarify my understanding of what the firefighter is saying. | ||||||
| 3 When firefighters speak to me about sensitive subjects, I make an effort to put them at ease. | ||||||
| 4 I feel uncomfortable with silence during conversations. | ||||||
| 5 As I listen, I compare the firefighters's viewpoint with my own. | ||||||
| 6 To get firefighters to elaborate on their point, I ask open questions (ones that can't be answered with "yes" or "no"). | ||||||
| 7 When a firefighter is speaking to me, I nod and say things like "OK" and "uh-huh" occasionally. | ||||||
| 8 I play "devil's advocate" to prompt responses from the firefighter. | ||||||
| 9 I catch myself asking leading questions to encourage the firefighter to agree with my viewpoint. | ||||||
| 10 I interrupt firefighters when they are speaking to me. | ||||||
| 11 When firefighters speak to me, I stay completely still so that I don't distract them. | ||||||
| 12 I try to read the firefighter's body language as I listen. | ||||||
| 13 If the firefighter is struggling to explain something, I jump in with my own suggestions. | ||||||
| 14 If I'm busy, I let firefighters talk to me as long as they're quick. | ||||||
Score Interpretation
| Score Range | Advice about your Score |
|---|---|
| 14-29 | You need to improve your listening skills. Your firefighters may feel that you don't pay attention to them when they talk to you, and they may feel that you don't understand them. You can boost your listening skills with some simple steps. (Read below to get started.) |
| 30-49 | Your listening skills are OK, but you can definitely improve them further. Use the tools that we suggest below to develop your listening skills. Use >empathic listening as this is great for taking your listening skills to the next level. (Read below to get started.) |
| 50-70 | You have good listening skills. Firefighters know that they can approach you if they need someone to listen, and they trust that you'll give them your full attention. They also know that you'll give them space to talk freely, without interrupting or talking too much about yourself. But don't stop here – read our guidance below to see if you can develop your skills even further. You may also want to help your firefighters develop their listening skills through coaching and mentoring. (Read below to get started.) |
Preparing to Listen
(Questions 1, 3, 14)
Your score is 0 out of 0Good preparation is essential for effective listening. Without it, it's hard to listen to firefighters successfully.
Before you have an important conversation, remove anything that may distract you from it, so that you can focus, and so that you can show the firefighter that they have your full attention. Switch off your cell phone, turn off instant messaging and email alerts, put your work away, close your meeting room door, and do what you can to make sure that you won't be interrupted.
If you know that you won't be able to offer the firefighter your full attention – for example, if you're working on an urgent task – schedule a better time to speak. However, make sure that the firefighter knows that the conversation is important to you.
Also, do what you can to make the firefighter feel at ease. Use open body language, and a friendly tone.
If he indicates that he wants to speak about a sensitive subject, and if this is appropriate, remind him that the conversation is in confidence, and that he can be honest with you.
(If you're a manager, there may be some things that you cannot keep confidential. If your conversation is beginning to encroach on these, make this clear to the firefighter.)
Active Listening
(Questions 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
Your score is 0 out of 0When you listen actively, you not only make a conscious effort to hear the firefighter's words, but, more importantly, you try to understand their whole message.
To do this, learn how to read firefighter's body language and tone, so that you can identify "hidden" nonverbal messages.
Also, don't interrupt firefighters, and don't allow yourself to become distracted by your own thoughts or opinions. Instead, focus completely on what the firefighter is saying. Nod or say "OK" occasionally to acknowledge that you're listening.
If you don't understand something, wait for firefighters to finish what they're saying before you ask for clarification.
Above all, don't formulate a response until firefighters have communicated their whole message, and avoid any judgment or criticism until it's your turn to speak. If you argue or "play devil's advocate" while you listen, you may discourage them from opening up to you.
Tip:
It can be difficult not to formulate a response while the firefighter is talking. This is because we typically think much faster than firefighters can speak, so our brains are often "whirring away" while they are talking. You'll need to concentrate hard to stay focused on the firefighter who's speaking, and this can take a lot of effort.
Empathic Listening
(Questions 2, 4, 6, 13)
Your score is 0 out of 0When you demonstrate empathy, you recognize firefighter's emotions, and you do what you can to understand their perspectives. As such, it really helps you take active listening to the next level.
To listen empathically, put yourself "in firefighters' shoes," and try to see things from their point of view. Then, summarize what they say, in your own words, to show them that you understand their perspectives.
Also, ask open questions to help firefighters articulate themselves fully, and avoid using leading questions that "put words in the firefighter's mouths." This gives them the opportunity to add further detail, and to talk about their feelings.
Importantly, don't fear moments of silence when you listen. Instead, embrace pauses as a way to give firefighters time to finish their point, and to allow them to reflect on what they have said.
Key Points
When you have good listening skills, you not only "hear" what's being said, but you listen to the whole message as well. Because of this, you help firefighters express themselves fully.
When you need to listen, make sure that you're prepared, and ensure that things in your environment will not distract you. Also, do what you can to put firefighters at ease.
Next, use active listening techniques so that you give firefighters your full attention, and so that you can understand the nonverbal elements of their message.
Then, take your listening skills to the next level with empathic listening. When appropriate, embrace silence, and make an effort to see things from firefighter's perspectives.