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Maya was giving a presentation at work about a new software designed by the product team. Her audience comprised her team members, product heads and her manager.
While speaking she noticed that most of her listeners weren’t paying attention. Although she appreciated that no one interrupted her, she wouldn’t mind some kind of response to her presentation.
Maya’s audience is a classic example of how passive listening isn’t always a good thing. Passive listening is when you hear the speaker without responding, interrupting or asking questions. There are both advantages and disadvantages to passive listening depending on the situation.
What Is Passive Listening?
The meaning of passive listening is to listen without asking questions or interrupting the speaker. It may even mean that you don’t really understand what’s being said.
There are situations where passive listening is important and helpful. For instance, if you’re giving a presentation or making a speech, you’re likely to prefer an audience that doesn’t provide feedback midway. Similarly, if you’re meeting your manager for a performance appraisal, you’ll listen first before you respond.
However, many times we end up listening passively when, in fact, we should be listening actively. Active listening is to make a conscious effort to understand the speaker’s intent. You do that by asking questions, reading their body language and making observations.
Some examples of passive listening are listening to presentations, the radio and even watching movies. In the workplace, you have to strike a balance between passive and active listening depending on the situation. You have to pay attention to passive listening in communication at work because your actions can impact your performance and others in your team.
Pros And Cons Of Passive Listening
The definition of passive listening is simple, it’s listening without a response. Many times, we’re too eager to get our points across, which means speaking over other people during meetings. Passive listening can help you overcome communication barriers but it has its share of drawbacks. Let’s explore the pros and cons of passive listening to identify where it works—and where it doesn’t.
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Pros
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Interpersonal Skills
When you’re not speaking over someone, it’s considered a sign of respect. Passive listening skills will help you build rapport with your colleagues. You’ll learn to listen without reacting to everything they say. In situations where you don’t have to respond or react, passive listening will come in handy. You’ll also make a great audience for presentations and speeches.
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Effective Communication
Passive listening also helps you overcome communication barriers because it’s a more objective form of listening. It’s free from bias because you’re not expected to share your views. You’re listening and not just hearing the words. Even if you don’t fully understand, you’re still present in the conversation.
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Observation Skills
When you’re not listening actively, you’re observing other things. Passive listening teaches you how to pay attention to detail and make accurate observations. If not the speaker’s words, you may be noticing how they move or their facial expressions. These are important attributes that help you understand others.
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Cons
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Reduced Work Performance
Your work performance may be affected if you’re passively listening to what you need to do. If you’re attending a conference but you’re distracted, you won’t be able to retain any important points that could help you in your work. Passive listening requires little to no effort on your part, making you take things lightly.
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Leaves A Bad Impression
Sometimes when you don’t respond to someone, it can leave a bad impression. Imagine your manager is talking to you about something important and you’re only half present in the conversation. This will likely give them the impression that you’re not serious about your work.
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Miss out on Important Information
Whether it’s a presentation, meeting or conference, passive listening can make you miss important information. Listening passively means that you’re not paying attention. Say you’re attending a conference about a new work system coming into place. If you lose interest when they start the demo, you’ll miss the most important aspect of the presentation.
If you enjoy multitasking, passive listening may just be your cup of tea! But there are times when you need to make a conscious effort to listen actively. Asking questions, reacting to the speaker and being completely present make communication more effective. Also, it shows that you’re keen to participate and contribute.
Harappa’s Listening Actively course will teach you about the listening process, communication barriers and how to understand the listening climate. Learn from the best and implement their helpful tips to improve workplace communication.
Explore topics such as Importance of Active Listening, Types of Listening, Listening Barriers, How to Improve Listening Skills & Active and Passive Listening from Harappa Diaries and learn to empathize, understand and connect with your coworkers.
