Nonverbal Listening Skills



Nonverbal Listening Skills

Introduction

We communicate every day verbally and nonverbal to co-workers, to people on the phone, and to our family. I will be discussing nonverbal communication, perception, listening, and self-disclosure. I will demonstrate several ways in which we can communicate among ourselves more effectively. This paper will demonstrate how we can become more effective as communicators.

Analysis

I grew up believing I was a good listener. Although I've become a better listener I have to admit I'm only an adequate listener. I have a bad habit of interrupting others while they are speaking or finishing their sentences. I've learned to be content to listen to the entire thought of someone rather than waiting impatiently for my chance to respond. Sometimes, I think that communication is a race. We sit at the edge of our seats trying to guess what the other person is going to say so that we can fire back our response. Slowing down my responses and becoming a better listener enhances the quality of my relationships with other people. After all, everyone loves to talk to someone who truly listens to what they are saying.

Self-disclosure is the opening up of oneself to others to create a transparent self. Some feel as if self-disclosure is a simple declaration of feelings and experiences that characterize the person's inner self. In reality self-disclosure is a more complex process involving many declarations that in truth serve to keep the conversation going rather than offering much information per se, but can also be used to control conversation or manage identity. The background and social context for a self-disclosure is at least as important to its social impact as is the behavior itself.

My strengths, as a communicator, are: I always maintain eye contact when communicating with an individual. It enhances the ...