Effective Listening: The Process Of Interpersonal Communication Everyday Encounter

In general, we tend to consider that interpersonal communication is simply the act of physically speaking to another person. However, communication is a transactional process which involves us both speaking and listening. In order to communicate successfully we need to know how to listen effectively. There are many steps involved in effective listening, but I will be focusing on the concept of responding. How we respond while we are the listeners is just as important in a conversation as when we are the speakers. If we fail to communicate correctly as the listener, the overall communication can be disrupted, or even terminated all together. In my example from the TV show “The Office,” improper responding from the listener in the conversation leads to the speaker receiving mixed signals and eventually ending the conversation altogether. How we utilize our nonverbal communication skills to

One of the most crucial steps, in my opinion, is responding to the speaker. The book Interpersonal Communication Everyday Encounters describes the act of responding as “communicating attention and interest” (Wood, 2014, p.167). Responding should not happen only after the speaker has finished. Instead, we should be responding throughout the interaction. Responding while listening is often a utilization of nonverbal skills and can be anything from a head nod to vocalizing a phrase like “I understand” or “Go on.” You should also be aware of your posture, eye contact, and hand movements while participating in this active form of listening. In an example of poor responding while listening from the TV show “The Office,” Dwight, an office employee, is being taught by the women of the office how to sell their products to women. It is made clear early on that Dwight does not know how to respond correctly while listening in a conversation. The women of the office then try to teach Dwight how to listen more