The level of intensity at the side reflects the relevance, the importance, or the
significance of the information involved. Listening has basically three levels of intensity.
Casual or marginal listening is used when the specific or technical information being
discussed is not critical. Because no goal for specific information is establised, a
manager need not be as alert as in other situations. Casual listening occurs in social
conversations or when listening to the radio.
The next level of intensity, factual listening, is necessary when specific information needs
to be obtained. Probably the most common type of listening in business meetings and
conferences, factual listening is the level that most people probably thinks of when they
consider the topic of listening. At this level, the listener should ask questions and receive
feedback to ensure effective communication.
A manager uses. the empathetic level of listening when he wants to understand another
person from that person’s Qwn internal frame of reference rather than from
Paralanguage can add richness, but also confusion when one listens to a message. A
short sentence such as “I’ll do it” may mean any on the following:
I’ 11 be really happy to do it.
I’ll do it, but it’s the last time.
You always make me do what you want.
All right you win.
Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.
You’re so dumb I’d better take care of it myself.
Which “meaning” is implied can usually be determined by the tone or inflection of the
voice or by the stress placed on each separate word.
Robert J. McCloskey provided an interesting example of the relationship of
paralanguage and listening. A fonner member of the State Department, he was known to
have three distinct ways of saying, “I would not speculate. “Newsweek reported that
“spoken without accent, it means the Department doesn’t know for sure; emphasis on
the ‘I’ means I wouldn’t, but you may - and with some assurance, accent on ‘speculate’
indicates that the questioner’s premise is probably wrong.”
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