The Practicon Viewpoint by Ann Page Griffin

HOW WELL DO YOU LISTEN?

AN EXERCISE TO GENERATE HELPFUL DISCUSSION

Listening is a skill, and very different from just hearing. In other words, one can hear spoken words, yet have very little idea of the meaning of those words, unless listening also occurs. Applying this concept to the dental office, we can project the importance of listening—listening to patients, to co-workers, to the dentist. Misunderstandings, incorrectly recorded chart notes, confusion over payment procedures, hurt feelings between dental teammates, scheduling errors, and on and on, can be attributed to poor listening skills, whether on the part of the dentist or the staff.

Suggestion: Use the following exercise during a team meeting to open discussion and improve listening skills for the entire team.

HOW WELL DO YOU LISTEN? 

Grade your listening skills by scoring 1 (low) to 5 (high) on the 20 listening habits listed below. Record the grade, 1 through 5, to the left of the statement, and total your score when complete. 

____   I like to listen to other people.
____   I try to get others to express their views or opinions.
____   I listen equally well to family, friends, acquaintances, strangers.
____   I listen equally well to male or female; to people of all ages.
____   I try to make the person to whom I am listening feel important.
____   I concentrate on the message by putting aside all other activities.
____   My body language, good eye contact, leaning forward, nodding, gesturing and such, shows my interest and encourages the speaker to continue.
____   I ignore distractions which might interrupt my listening.
____   I never interrupt to express my own ideas.
____   I interrupt to ask for clarification of words I do not understand.
____   I listen to grasp ideas rather than every specific detail of what is being said.
____   I occasionally take notes so I will remember the message correctly.
____   I mentally summarize what is being said.
____   I concentrate on what is valid in the message rather than trying to find an error or point of disagreement while the person is speaking.
____   I listen between the lines to the speaker’s body language, gestures and tone of voice that add meaning to the message.
____   If the speaker hesitates, I encourage him or her to continue.
____   I show respect for a speaker’s opinion, even though I may disagree.
____   I withhold judgment about the content of the message until the speaker is finished.
____   I realize my emotions may filter the message so I hear it incorrectly; therefore, I am determined to listen objectively.
____   I restate what I heard in simple phrases and ask the speaker if my interpretation is correct.

____   Total
Scoring:

90 – 100   You are an excellent listener
80 –   89   You are a good listener
70 –   79   You listen occasionally
60 –   69   You need to work on your listening skills

And be sure to check out our Free Resources for Your Practice for additional insights, information, and practice management tips.