Informational listening requires one to apply the skill of paying attention to facilitate easy comprehension and remembrance of details. Informational listening entails a passive type of listening where the recipient of the information is not involved in critiquing, judging, or evaluating the message passed. This type of listening is most prevalent in a school setting, where people attend lectures, participate in workshops and watch instructional videos (Hamilton et al., 2019). Therefore, it is necessary for one to offer undivided attention to ensure every detail is conserved in their memory to promote fast recollection of details when the need arises.
Critical listening requires one to possess the skill of facts and opinion recognition. It is through opinions that one gets to understand whether a speaker is offering factual or unreliable information. Besides, the opinions that are imperative for identification include those of the speaker and the person themselves. If one is unable to recognize their own opinions, they might miss facts when information is being conveyed (Hamilton et al., 2019). For instance, if a person has a negative opinion towards a particular topic, they may reject the facts based on that topic or even form a negative predisposition toward the speaker.
One of the fundamental skills in empathic listening is being nonjudgmental. When a person is nonjudgmental, the ability to form opinions based on the other party is freed, allowing them to focus on the person’s perspectives. Additionally, being nonjudgmental allows the listener to acknowledge the other party’s emotions and views, which initiate the help process (Hamilton et al., 2019). In other instances, a listener who is nonjudgmental allows the speaker to understand and work through their situation swiftly, promoting better care.
One of the skills that I would appreciate improving for effective listening is limiting interruptions. In most cases, interruptions result in poor reception of information and prevent people from giving their full attention. Additionally, interruptions show the speaker that the information being disseminated is irrelevant. By reducing interruptions, not only will my listening improve but also the ability to retain and remember information more easily (Hamilton et al., 2019). Limited interruptions serve as an incentive to the speaker, allowing them to maintain their energy while speaking.
Reference
Hamilton, C., Creel, B., & Kroll, T. (2019). Communicating for success, 2nd edition. Routledge.