Job Success

Characteristics of poor listeners

The following are all examples of poor listening skills.

• Poor listeners use statements blocking the person speaking from fully explaining his or her point.
  Examples: "The facts are..." "You had better..." "You should..." "It doesn't really matter..."

• Poor listeners interrupt the speaker, use thoughts from what the other person has just said, and express their own thoughts.
  Examples: "Oh, well, I know. Listen to what happened to me in that situation..."

• Poor listeners talk about their thoughts without giving any indication that they heard what another person has said.
  Examples: Speaker: "I am feeling really overworked and stressed out." Listener: "Have you seen my keys?"