Barriers to Effective Listening
The ordinary looking to become extraordinary is no longer a rare event in today's society.
Whether it is driven by financial and economic down turns, I see more people today than ever before looking to make changes and escape the rat race.
Personally it fills me with immense joy and excitement to see so many people willing to chase their dreams. Is it my imagination or is there more and more people willing to jump out of their comfort zones and take control over the outcome of their lives? I sit here in a packed out auditorium attending an MLM summer conference surrounded by like minded people with hope in their hearts for a brighter future. It's awesome. Although a non active member these conferences have long been a great motivational force saturated by uplifting experiences. That's why I attend.
Having said all that, I can't help but wonder what the eventual outcome will be for the masses of people in attendance hoping like there is no tomorrow that this is the answer to their prayers. I can only assume that the majority of people are well aware of the statistics that suggest only 10% of the workforce in a job will be able to be retired independent of other financial means. With this in mind it is not surprising to see so many starry eyed people chasing a better life.
What I have noticed from an ask of hands is that more than half of the attendees are new. The next thought is what happened to the people they have replaced. Is it a revolving door? There is also the suggestion that approximately 1% of all operatives will become the real achievers with all the financial benefits that are accompanied.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for equal opportunity and one of the great attractions is the fact that the playing ground is levelled out in this industry so everyone can have a shot at the title.
However, that doesn't stop me wondering about everyone's outcome. Haven't you ever been people watching over a coffee?
I couldn't help but wonder whether or not all these people knew about the retention rates that exist within the industry. They are between 12 and 15% as an average. If they don't know they should and if they do know, I'm filled with admiration for them as they tackle the odds to achieve the things they want to achieve. Arm yourself with the facts and take on the odds, buck the system, show no fear and chase your dreams with the assumption they will be yours to enjoy for real.
They are having a go and should all be congratulated. There are many people out there willing to trash the efforts of all these attendees.
Whether we agree or not is not the point, we should all rejoice in the fact they are seeking change and are doing something about it. Well done.
Nothing is impossible in this life.Focus on what you want to happen, not on what you dont want to happen.
People have a need to feel like they're being heard. Executive Operations Manager, points out some barriers to effective listening.
How Well do we Listen?
Even the best connection pick up only about 50% of the messages others are trying to send when they speak. After a length of only a few months, the amount of information they actually retain is reduced to about 25% of the content. People have a need to be heard and to feel like the messages they are sending are being understood. Those messages could include important questions that need to be answered, or there could be messages imbedded in the context that a person needs you to understand and aren't connected in a straight forward manner. People often times do this when they are seeking validation or affirmation. So why do people miss such a huge portion of the messages we send through connection?
Reasons for missing content
There are several reasons why we miss out on a good portion of what others are trying to connected. Imagine the distractions you may experience in an office environment. It can be hard to absorb all the information you may need with the hustle and bustle of the workplace going on all around you. These distractions can cause you to filter a good amount of the information coming your way.
• Selective Listening. When you filter information by choosing what you want to hear and discarding the rest. This can be necessary when there is a great amount of information to process. Selective listening can also be a barrier to effective listening because there may be pertinent information the listener may miss.
• Lack of Focus. A distracted mind has a tendency to wander. A listener with a distracted mind can tend to miss out on a good amount of the information they being given. Day dreaming or allowing the mind to wander over everyday issues while listening detracts from the listener's ability to focus.
• Comprehension. If a listener isn't able to understand the information being given them because they may lack the education or technical understanding of the subject, it can cause the listener to shut down and stop listening. The listener may be too embarrassed to connected this so often times the message is never received.
• Cultural, Sexual, or Racial Bias. Sometimes a listener can put up barriers to effective connected because the person trying to send the message may be of a different race, sex, socio-economic class, or culture. Some people tend to stop listening if they believe they are above or better than the person sending the message.
• Emotional Cues. Certain words and expressions tend to evoke a negative emotional response from people which can cause them to stop absorbing pertinent information. Bringing up the subject of a painful loss, sensitive topics like politics or religion, and even foul language can all be barriers to effective listening.
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