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and confirming a Message’s content offers a way to confirm that the correct content
is flowing between colleagues. The process creates a bond between coworkers while
increasing the flow and accuracy of messaging.
Carl Rogers, founder of the “person-centered” approach to psychology,

formulated five rules for active listening:
1. Listen for message content
2. Listen for feelings
3. Respond to feelings
4. Note all cues
5. Paraphrase and restate
The good news is that listening is a skill that can be learned. [17] The first step is
to decide that we want to listen. Casting aside distractions, such as by reducing
background or internal noise, is critical. The Receiver takes in the Sender’s Message
silently, without speaking. Second, throughout the conversation, show the speaker
that you’re listening. You can do this nonverbally by nodding your head and keeping
your attention focused on the speaker. You can also do it verbally, by saying things
like, “Yes,” “That’s interesting,” or other such verbal cues. As you’re listening, pay
attention to the Sender’s body language for additional cues about how they’re feeling.
Interestingly, silence plays a major role in active listening. During active listening,
we are trying to understand what has been said, and in silence, we can consider the
implications. We can’t consider information and reply to it at the same time. That’s
where the power of silence comes into play. Finally, if anything is not clear to you,
ask questions. Confirm that you’ve heard the message accurately, by repeating back a
crucial piece like, “Great, I’ll see you at 2 p.m. in my office.” At the end of the
conversation, a “thank you” from both parties is an optional but highly effective way
of acknowledging each other’s teamwork.
In summary, active listening creates a more dynamic relationship between a
Receiver and a Sender. It strengthens personal investment in the information being
shared. It also forges healthy working relationships among colleagues by making
Speakers and Listeners equally valued members of the communication process.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Many barriers to effective communication exist. Examples include
filtering, selective perception, information overload, emotional disconnects,
lack of source familiarity or credibility, workplace gossip, semantics, gender
differences, differences in meaning between Sender and Receiver, and biased
language. The Receiver can enhance the probability of effective
communication by engaging in active listening, which involves (1) giving one’s
full attention to the Sender and (2) checking for understanding by repeating the
essence of the Message back to the Sender.
EXERCISES
1. Most people are poor listeners. Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Please support your position.
2. Please share an example of how differences in shared meaning have
affected you.
3. Give an example of selective perception.

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