Barriers to Listening

Barriers to Listening

Face it – we’re busy these days. We have so much going on that it is hard to stop and listen to what our friends, co-workers and family are really saying when we do manage to talk to each other.

Here are some ideas to think about and suggestions to overcome barriers to good listening.

Don’t act like you’re a mindreader or assume that other people should know what you’re thinking.

Don’t let your own thoughts get in the way of what people are trying to say. Stop and listen to them and not what is going on in your own head.

If you are too busy or too distracted to concentrate on what someone is telling you, then acknowledge that and say "could you wait a few minutes until I can really listen to you?"

Pay more attention to language. Be clear about whom or what you are referring to.

Instead of tuning out those voices in our lives we should be paying attention to, overcome the barriers to good listening.

Source: Ginsburg, S. (1999, March). Mastering the art of better living. Work and Family Life, 6.


	Web site coordinators: Jamie Thompson Sandra McKinnon Site evaluation: Cynthia Crawford Last updated: March 09, 2005	Web site established by: Kate Akers Mark Belwood Cynthia Crawford Sandra McKinnon Diana Hammond

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