Listening is a desirable skill in organizational settings; good listening can
improve worker productivity and satisfaction. The challenge facing consul
tants is how to train employees to be competent listeners. Although much
research in listening has taken place over the last few years, little of that
research addresses workplace listening directly and much is based on false
assumptions: that listening is a unitary concept, that listening is a cognitive
rather than behavioral skill, and that listening is a linear act. In a 10-year
study, we developed a model of organizational listening competency that does
apply directly to the workplace. It provides a basis for assessing listening abil
ity largely through the observations of co-workers. The model emphasizes two
effective behaviors: accuracy, that is, confirming the message sent; and sup
port, that is, affirming the relationship between the speaker and the listener:
This model serves as an effective basis for improving workplace listening, both
through formal training programs and through individual workers' own
efforts.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Brownell, J. (1990, Fall). Perceptions of effective listeners: A management study. The Journal of Business Communication, 27(4), 401-415.
2.
Brownell, J. (1994). Managerial listening and career development in the hospitality industry. Journal of the International Listening Association, 8, 31-49.
3.
Cooley, R.E., & Roach, D.A. (1984). A conceptual framework. In R. N. Bostrom (Ed.), Competence in communication: A multidisciplinary approach (pp. 11-32). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
4.
Cooper, L.O., & Husband, R.L. (1993). Developing a model of organizational listening competency. Journal of the International Listening Association , 7, 6-34.
5.
Cooper, L.O., Seibold, D.R., & Suchner, R. (1997, October). Listening in organizations: An analysis of error structures in models of listening competency. Communication Research Reports, 14, 3.
6.
Cranton, P. (1996). Professional development as transformative learning .San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
7.
DiSalvo, V.S., & Larsen, J.K. (1987, Summer). A contingency approach to communication skill importance: The impact of occupation, direction, and position. The Journal of Business Communication, 24(3), 3-22.
8.
Folinsbee, S.W. (1995, Winter). Workplace basics in the 1990s: Critical issues and promising practices. In W. F. Spikes (Ed.), Workplace learning, 63-73. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass.
9.
Gilchrist, J.A., & Van Hoeven, S.A. (1994). Listening as an organizational construct. Journal of the International Listening Association , 8, 6-30.
10.
Haas, J.W., & Arnold, C.L. (1995). An examination of the role of listening in judgments of communication competence in co-workers. The Journal of Business Communication, 32(2), 123-139.
11.
Hall, D.T. (1996). The career is dead: Long live the career. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
12.
Hirsch, R.O. (1986). On defining listening: Synthesis and discussion . Paper presented at the meeting of the International Listening Association, San Diego, CA.
13.
Husband, R.L., Cooper, L.O., & Monsour, W.M. (1988). Factors underlying supervisors' perceptions of their own listening behavior. Journal of the International Listening Association, 2, 97-112.
14.
Husband, R.L., Schenk, T., & Cooper, L.O. (1988, March). A further look at managerial listening . Paper presented at the meeting of the International Listening Association, Scottsdale, AZ.
15.
Johnson, I.W., Barker, R.T., & Pearce, C.G. (1995, October). Using journals to improve listening behavior: An exploratory study. Journal of Business and Technical Communication , 9 (4), 475-483.
16.
Lewis, M.H., & Reinsch, N.L., Jr. (1988). Listening in organizational environments. The Journal of Business Communication, 25(3), 49-67.
17.
Lobdell, C.L., Sonoda, K.T., & Arnold, W.E. (1993). The influence of perceived supervisor listening behavior on employee commitment. Journal of the International Listening Association, 7, 92-110.
18.
McCroskey, J.C. (1984). Communication competence: The elusive concept. In R. N. Bostrom (Ed.), Competence in Communication: A multidisciplinary approach (pp. 259-268). Beverly Hills CA: Sage.
19.
Nichols, R.G. (1947, February). Listening: Questions and problems. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 33, 83-86.
20.
Nichols, R.G., & Lewis, T.R. (1954). Listening and speaking: A guide to effective oral communication. Dubuque, IA: William C. Brown.
21.
Nichols, R.G., & Stevens, L.A. (1957). Are you listening?New York: McGraw-Hill .
22.
O'Reilly, C.A., & Anderson, J.C. (1980). Trust and the communication of performance appraisal information: The effect of feedback on performance and satisfaction. Human Communication Research, 6, 290-298.
23.
Papa, M.J., & Glenn, E.C. (1988, Fall). Listening ability and performance with new technology: A case study. The Journal of Business Communication , 25(4), 5-15.
24.
Rhodes, S.C. (1987). A study of effective and ineffective listening dyads using the systems theory principle of entropy. Journal of the International Listening Association, 1, 32-53.
25.
Roberts, C.V., Edwards, R., & Barker, L. (1987). Intrapersonal communication process. Scottsdale, AZ: Gorsuch, Scarisbrick.
26.
Roth, G.L. (1995, Winter). Information technologies and workplace learning. In W. F. Spikes (Ed.), Workplace learning, 75-85. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass .
27.
Smeltzer, L.R. (1993). Emerging questions and research paradigms in business communication research. The Journal of Business Communication , 30, 181-198.
28.
Smeltzer, L.R., & Watson, K.W. (1984, Fall). Listening: An empirical comparison of discussion length and level of incentive. Central States Speech Journal , 35, 166-170.
29.
Spikes, W. F. (Ed.). (1995, Winter). Preparing workplace learning professionals. In Workplace learning, 55-61. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
30.
Spitzberg, B.H., & Cupach, W.R. (1984). Interpersonal communication competence. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
31.
Stientjes, M. (1993). Empowerment through employability skills: The ACT Work Keys Listening Assessment. Journal of the International Listening Association (special issue), 56-63.
32.
Stine, M., Thompson, T., & Cusella, L. (1995). The impact of organizational structure and supervisory listening indicators on subordinate support, trust, intrinsic motivation, and performance. International Journal of Listening, 9, 84-105.
33.
Sypher, B.D., Bostrom, R.N., & Seibert, J.H. (1989, Fall). Listening, communication abilities, and success at work. The Journal of Business Communication, 26 (4), 293-303.
34.
Waner, K.K. (1995, December). Business communication competencies needed by employees as perceived by business faculty and business professionals . Business Communication Quarterly, 58 (4), 51-56.
35.
Watkins, K.E. (1995, Winter). Workplace learning: Changing times, changing practices. In W. F. Spike (Ed.), Workplace learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
36.
Wellmon, T.A. (1988). Conceptualizing organizational communication competence: A rules-based perspective. Management Communication Quarterly , 1, 515-534.
37.
Witkin, B.R. (1990). Listening theory and research: The state of the art. Journal of the International Listening Association, 4, 7-32.
38.
Wolvin, A.D., & Coakley, C.G. (1994). Listening competency. Journal of the International Listening Association, 8, 148-160.
