Styles of Listening

After reading what Chapter 6 had to say about the four listening styles, I decided that I am more of a context and people centered listener. It was hard for me to decide which listening style I applied to most because I react to different situations accordingly.  In order for me to conversate or understand things better there are different listening methods that I must use.

For example, I work for an eye doctor’s office as a technician. My job title includes having to fill people charts, grab contact lenses, order contacts, and various other positions. In order for me to communicate and listen properly to the doctors and staff I must speak in technical terms [jargon] which some people may not understand. For instance, instead of the doctor telling me that someone is farsighted, he or she will tell me that the patient has myopia. This is where context listening come into play. If I am unable to understand the language that the doctors are speaking, I am unable to do my job and will result in me not listening for important details.

Another example of context listening is at my job I have here on campus. I work for Riders OIT Voice system and when a person calls in with a report I must document everything and then reply it to my boss. If someone is having trouble calling out of campus I will say CCO and if an employee’s name does not show up on the phone display I will say No CPND. We use these types of abbreviations so that it is easier to remember everything someone is saying because it is shortened.

I do not think that using the context listening approach is best for all situations because I feel that this style looks just for the important details. I feel that when listening to your friends and family, I would use the people centered style because it makes communication more at ease and personable.  I think I learned these approaches just by picking up on the way people react when I listen or speak to them. I feel we all learn when to use different listening styles even if we are not aware of it. It’s hard to understand someone when they are speaking in terms that you do not understand. Thus, I try to gear away from using jargon with patients at my job because it is not easy to listen to someone that you do not understand what they are saying so I will use people centered because I take into consideration what is best for them.