DTU ProjectLab - User contributions [en-gb]

Improve communication with active listening

2019-04-22T10:11:52Z

Sofie Martinussen:

''Developed by Sofie S. Martinussen''

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model, confer figure 1, is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png|thumb|right|600px|Figure 1: Interactive communication model. Inspired by PMBoK<ref name=PMI></ref>]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==Annoted bibliography==

<ref name=PMI></ref> Chapter 10 in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge addresses the importance of communication in project management and presents active listening as a tool to secure correct feedback which is a key element to successful communication. The chapter sets the scene of communication however have very limited information about active listening and the aspects of the technique.

<ref name=Active></ref> This chapter addresses effective and active listening from a psychological perspective and presents and explain the aspects of active listening in depth with examples from crisis situations. Gerard, A. J. explains the width of active listening and the benefits of utilizing the techniques to empathize and understand the people who are speaking.

<ref name=Good></ref> The article "Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense" addresses the importance of project managers possessing the skill of active listening and the impact this skill has on business success. The article addresses the vast number of barriers that exist to be able to listen actively when engaging in a conversation. Lastly, the article presents suggestions on how to overcome the different barriers.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-04-22T10:11:08Z

Sofie Martinussen:

"'Developed by Sofie S. Martinussen'"

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model, confer figure 1, is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png|thumb|right|600px|Figure 1: Interactive communication model. Inspired by PMBoK<ref name=PMI></ref>]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==Annoted bibliography==

<ref name=PMI></ref> Chapter 10 in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge addresses the importance of communication in project management and presents active listening as a tool to secure correct feedback which is a key element to successful communication. The chapter sets the scene of communication however have very limited information about active listening and the aspects of the technique.

<ref name=Active></ref> This chapter addresses effective and active listening from a psychological perspective and presents and explain the aspects of active listening in depth with examples from crisis situations. Gerard, A. J. explains the width of active listening and the benefits of utilizing the techniques to empathize and understand the people who are speaking.

<ref name=Good></ref> The article "Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense" addresses the importance of project managers possessing the skill of active listening and the impact this skill has on business success. The article addresses the vast number of barriers that exist to be able to listen actively when engaging in a conversation. Lastly, the article presents suggestions on how to overcome the different barriers.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-04-22T10:10:31Z

Sofie Martinussen:

"Developed by Sofie S. Martinussen"

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model, confer figure 1, is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png|thumb|right|600px|Figure 1: Interactive communication model. Inspired by PMBoK<ref name=PMI></ref>]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==Annoted bibliography==

<ref name=PMI></ref> Chapter 10 in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge addresses the importance of communication in project management and presents active listening as a tool to secure correct feedback which is a key element to successful communication. The chapter sets the scene of communication however have very limited information about active listening and the aspects of the technique.

<ref name=Active></ref> This chapter addresses effective and active listening from a psychological perspective and presents and explain the aspects of active listening in depth with examples from crisis situations. Gerard, A. J. explains the width of active listening and the benefits of utilizing the techniques to empathize and understand the people who are speaking.

<ref name=Good></ref> The article "Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense" addresses the importance of project managers possessing the skill of active listening and the impact this skill has on business success. The article addresses the vast number of barriers that exist to be able to listen actively when engaging in a conversation. Lastly, the article presents suggestions on how to overcome the different barriers.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T21:18:51Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model, confer figure 1, is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png|thumb|right|600px|Figure 1: Interactive communication model. Inspired by PMBoK<ref name=PMI></ref>]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==Annoted bibliography==

<ref name=PMI></ref> Chapter 10 in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge addresses the importance of communication in project management and presents active listening as a tool to secure correct feedback which is a key element to successful communication. The chapter sets the scene of communication however have very limited information about active listening and the aspects of the technique.

<ref name=Active></ref> This chapter addresses effective and active listening from a psychological perspective and presents and explain the aspects of active listening in depth with examples from crisis situations. Gerard, A. J. explains the width of active listening and the benefits of utilizing the techniques to empathize and understand the people who are speaking.

<ref name=Good></ref> The article "Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense" addresses the importance of project managers possessing the skill of active listening and the impact this skill has on business success. The article addresses the vast number of barriers that exist to be able to listen actively when engaging in a conversation. Lastly, the article presents suggestions on how to overcome the different barriers.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T21:14:55Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model, confer figure 1, is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png|thumb|right|600px|Figure 1: Interactive communication model. Inspired by PMBoK<ref name=PMI></ref>]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==Annoted bibliography==

<ref name=Active></ref> This chapter addresses effective and active listening from a psychological perspective and presents and explain the aspects of active listening in depth with examples from crisis situations. Gerard, A. J. explains the width of active listening and the benefits of utilizing the techniques to empathize and understand the people who are speaking.

<ref name=PMI></ref> Chapter 10 in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge addresses the importance of communication in project management and presents active listening as a tool to secure correct feedback which is a key element to successful communication. The chapter sets the scene of communication however have very limited information about active listening and the aspects of the technique.

<ref name=Good></ref> The article "Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense" addresses the importance of project managers possessing the skill of active listening and the impact this skill has on business success. The article addresses the vast number of barriers that exist to be able to listen actively when engaging in a conversation. Lastly, the article presents suggestion on how to overcome the different barriers.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T20:49:14Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model, confer figure 1, is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png|thumb|right|600px|Figure 1: Interactive communication model. Inspired by PMBoK<ref name=PMI></ref>]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==Annoted bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T20:42:56Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model, confer figure 1, is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png|thumb|right|600px|Figure 1: Interactive communication model]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T20:42:21Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png|thumb|right|400px|Figure 1: Interactive communication model]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T20:40:32Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.png]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

File:Communication model.png

2019-03-04T20:39:48Z

Sofie Martinussen:

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T20:37:56Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

[[File:Communication_model.jpeg]]

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:59:57Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
''Physical people-related barriers include:''

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

''Psychological people-related barriers to active listening''

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>:

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:59:00Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
Physical people-related barriers include:

*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers to active listening

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>

*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:57:38Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
Physical people-related barriers include:
*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

"Psychological people-related barriers to active listening"
Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:55:16Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening<ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>===
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening<ref name=Good></ref>===
Physical people-related barriers include:
*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

"Psychological people-related barriers"
Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:53:23Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communicating with active listening==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

===Nonverbal aspects of active listening===
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

===Verbal aspects of active listening===

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

===Physical Barriers to active listening=== <ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

===People-related barriers to active listening=== <ref name=Good></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

"Psychological people-related barriers"
Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

===How to overcome the barriers to active listening===

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:49:55Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

''People-related barriers to active listening'' <ref name=Good></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

== How to overcome the barriers to active listening ==

Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

==Why is active listening relevant to project management?==
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:32:36Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<references/>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:31:48Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in <ref name=PMI></ref>. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<refer

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:30:34Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
*Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
*Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
*When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
*Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
*The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
*Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
*Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
*A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
*If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
*If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
*Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
*The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
*When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
*Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
*Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
*Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
*Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
*Improper posture or continuously changing position
*Lack of facial expressions and nodding
*Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

==References==
<refer

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:27:43Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

</references>

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:26:46Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:24:07Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business success>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active listening></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good listening>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good listening></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good listening></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective communication></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good listening></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:23:21Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active listening>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In ''Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times" (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active listening></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business success>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active listening></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good listening>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good listening></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good listening></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective communication></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good listening></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:21:36Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

==Communication==
Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

'''Understanding''' what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

==Nonverbal aspects of active listening==
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active listening>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In “Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times” (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to a person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active listening></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business success>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

==Verbal aspects of active listening==

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active listening></ref>.

==Barriers to active listening==
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good listening>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good listening></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good listening></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective communication></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good listening></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:19:24Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

Acknowledging the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

Clarifying and confirming what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

Understanding what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

Removing barriers which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening.” Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

Nonverbal aspects of active listening
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active listening>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In “Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times” (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active listening></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business success>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

Verbal aspects of active listening

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Barriers to active listening
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good listening>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good listening></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good listening></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective communication></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good listening></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:18:29Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective>Frank Cervone, H. (2014). ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

Acknowledging the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

Clarifying and confirming what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

Understanding what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

Removing barriers which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful listening> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening”. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

Nonverbal aspects of active listening
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active listening>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In “Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times” (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active listening></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business success>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

Verbal aspects of active listening

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Barriers to active listening
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good listening>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good listening></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good listening></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective communication></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good listening></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:17:12Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success<ref name=Effective communication>Frank Cervone, H. (2014): ''Effective communication for project success.'' Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014</ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

Acknowledging the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

Clarifying and confirming what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

Understanding what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

Removing barriers which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful listening> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening”. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

Nonverbal aspects of active listening
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active listening>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In “Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times” (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active listening></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business success>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

Verbal aspects of active listening

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Barriers to active listening
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good listening>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good listening></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good listening></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective communication></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good listening></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

Improve communication with active listening

2019-03-04T19:15:47Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, they create relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the information delivered or received. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders, and efficient communication is the key to project success <ref name=Effective communication> Frank Cervone, H. (2014): ''Effective communication for project success.''; Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. Retrieved at https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014 </ref>. A means to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations while communicating is Active listening, an interpersonal skill which can be learned. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.

To understand the concept of communication, the sample interactive communication model is used as the model illustrates the process of communication between two parties as well as the noise obstructing effective communication and active listening <ref name=PMI> Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management.” Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications</ref>.

When practising active listening with different stakeholders, a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.

The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal. The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships and project success.

Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and receiving and decoding information from the stakeholder to understand their wants and needs <ref name=PMI></ref>. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members because they have the experience of being heard <ref name=Impact> Henderson, L. S. (2008). “The Impact of Project Managers' Communication Competencies: Validation and Extension of a Research Model for Virtuality, Satisfaction, and Productivity on Project Teams.” Project Management Journal, “39”(2), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20044</ref>.

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as two parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but it also responds to the noise inflicting the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been received and understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen<ref name=PMI></ref>.

The communication process requires and comprises of elements such as people, a message, a medium to send the message and inevitably noise to obstruct the communication. The different elements are described and elaborated in the following section.

1. The communication process comprises of a sender who phrases a piece of information in a message and a receiver who receives the message and decode the information. In this article, the receiver is project managers engaging with different stakeholders who are the senders <ref name=Art>Rajkumar, S. (2010). Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute</ref>.

2. In order for the message to be sent and received a medium must be utilized and is at first decided by the sender, however, can be changed by the receiver <ref name=Art></ref>. This medium can have several formats such as face-to-face meetings both formal and informal, emails, instant messages, phone calls, Skype sessions and so on <ref name=PMI></ref>.

3. A message is necessary to initiate the communication process and the message can also have different formats. According to Rajkumar (2010), a message can have a hard message in the form of written on paper while a soft format is electronic.

4. Feedback from the receiver is required in the communication process for the sender to ensure that the message has been understood correctly. When the receiver has decoded the message, in this case, the project manager will encode thoughts and suggestion into a feedback message and sends it to the sender of the original message. If the sender's perception of the feedback is corresponding to the meaning of the initial feedback, the communication is successful. In this step of the communication process, active listening can be a useful set of techniques to support the success of communication <ref name=Art></ref>.

5. Feedback is a means to determine if a communication process is a success, as the original sender decodes the feedback message from the original receiver, however, both parties abilities to decode messages are affected by noise in the process<ref name=Art></ref>. The noise can influence how the receiver understands the message being sent depending on the emotional state the person is in [2]. This includes several aspects such as values, beliefs, biases, experiences, the content of the message and the medium used to deliver the message<ref name=Art></ref>.

In face-to-face, telephone or virtual communication such as Skype, feedback of understanding the information correctly can, confer previously mentioned, be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects <ref name=Impact></ref>. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of four elements:

Acknowledging the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

Clarifying and confirming what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element of...

Understanding what has been said through the above-mentioned clarification and confirmation.

Removing barriers which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. <ref name=Mindful listening> Goldstein, M. (2013). “Mindful listening”. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2013—North America, New Orleans, LA. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.</ref>.

Another important aspect of active listening is devoting one’s full attention to the speaking person and actively deciding to focus on what is being said in contrast to allowing one’s mind to wander. To have a full focus on the speaker it is important not to think about what the response should be or other irrelevant things. Furthermore, looking the speaking person in the eyes let the person know that you indeed are focusing on the conversation and are present. A third important aspect of listening is not interrupting the speaker but allowing the person the finish the sentence and avoid assuming to know how the sentence will end.

Nonverbal aspects of active listening
Active listing is more than just being ‘all ears’, humming and nodding, it is also several nonverbal aspects which can support or inhibit the perception of ones listening skills. Our body language can reveal several things and every person will interpret body language differently thus it is important to pay attention to one's appearance in order to communicate the right thing. For example when listening to someone speaking, having your arms crossed can be interpreted as if you are uninterested in what is being said or closed for suggestions. Another example, which can be interpreted as impatience or uninterest, is tapping the table or fiddling a pen. To signal interest it is important to keep a calm facade <ref name=Active listening>Gerard, A. J. (2016). 6 – Active listening. In “Community-Based Psychological First Aid A Practical Guide to Helping Individuals and Communities During Difficult Times” (pp. 49-66). Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804292-2.00006-5</ref>. Looking someone in the eye when you are listening to them is not only helping you to keep your focus on the speaking person, but it also shows respect to person who is speaking as you show that you are paying attention by not looking at your phone or out the window <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Other nonverbal aspects of active listening are Space related aspects such as how you position yourself, how your body is oriented and lastly the distance you keep to the speaking person. In order to make the speaking person more comfortable you can position yourself as the speaking person, e.g. mirroring the person by sitting down or standing up. Secondly, to show respect to the person you are listening to, orient your body in the direction of the person. By pointing your torso in the direction of the speaking person you are showing interest in what is being said. Further, it is also important to respect people's personal space while listening to secure they are comfortable speaking <ref name=Active listening></ref>. Lastly, time is of the essence, if you seem in a rush when listening to someone they might interpret it as if you are not present and they are disturbing you which can lead to them withholding information which could be useful. So as a project manager when listening to a team member or other stakeholders, take the time to listen, be present and use the necessary amount of time <ref name=Active listening></ref>.

In addition to paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to pay attention to the body language and tone of voice of the speaking person. As well as your tone of voice and body language can tell the speaking person how you feel, their tone of voice and body language can also tell you more than the words they are actually saying <ref name=Business success>Keyser, J. (2013). Active listening leads to business success. T And D, “67”(7), 26–28.</ref>.

Verbal aspects of active listening

The verbal aspects of active listening are techniques to illustrate to the speaking person that you are actively listening and participating in the conversation. A very important element of active listening is to understand the perspective of the speaking person and verbal actions are supporting your understanding. Often when people feel supported when speaking, they elaborate and detail what they are talking about. Acknowledging, as previously mentioned, is a technique that signals support and encourages the speaker to continue. The key techniques to make sure that you understand the speaker’s perspective correctly is to ask questions to clarify what the speaker is meaning. Asking question will not only help you to understand what is being said, but it will also help the speaker to understand the topic or issue which is addressed in the conversation. Lastly, to illustrate that you have been listening actively and have understood what the speaker was talking about, you can reflect and restate it in your own words. It is very important not say what the speaking person said as it can be perceived negatively as mocking which can lead to affect a team member or another stakeholder's willingness to speak openly in another situation<ref name=Active listening></ref>.

Barriers to active listening
When communicating with others, not only within project management but also in general, noise from within and from without can affect the understanding of the information. Several barriers to active listening exist why it is important to be aware of them to prevent these barriers from obstructing active listening. Both physical and people-related barriers exist <ref name=PMI></ref>.

“Physical Barriers to active listening” <ref name=Good listening>Rane, D. B. (2011). Good Listening Skills Make Efficient Business Sense. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 5(4), 43–51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=78153521&site=ehost-live</ref>
- Noise from other rooms in the form of music, other people talking, construction work, traffics and generally sounds from external sources.
- Microphones or speakers blurring the sound and bad connections breaking up the conversation.
- When the speaker has the microphone too close to the mouth or too far away.
- Interruptions by phone calls or messages or people entering or leaving a room.
- The temperature of the room is either too cold or too warm.

People-related barriers to active listening <ref name=Good listening></ref>
Physical people-related barriers include:
- Illness, feeling tired or exhausted, stress, feeling uncomfortable, hunger or thirst can obstruct active listening.
- Bad hearing or the speaker's tone of voice.

Psychological people-related barriers are related to the behavioural aspects of both the speaker and the listener and include <ref name=Good listening></ref>, <ref name=Barriers> © SkillsYouNeed (2017) Barriers to Effective Communication. Visited February 18th 2019.</ref>
- A harsh tone of the speaker which has no effect on the listener so the message is not received.
- If the speaker mumbles, speaks too fast or has a monotonous voice which can affect the interest in what is being said.
- If the listener perceives the speaker to be unprepared or not informed properly about a topic.
- Allowing one’s mind to wander thinking about irrelevant things such as what to have for dinner or deadlines to reach.
- The listener's state of mind can affect how well one can listen. If you are filled with worry, are depressed, angry or other emotions it can obstruct your listening skills.
- When the listener loses motivation because the subject is found to be irrelevant, or because the speaker fails to explain.
- Taking notes, as you concentrate on writing and then lose focus on the speaker.
- Being biased by own preferences and experiences and the speaker's gender, race, accent and age among others.
- Having a closed mind to suggestions or concerns of others.
- Avoiding eye contact with the speaker
- Improper posture or continuously changing position
- Lack of facial expressions and nodding
- Interrupting the speaker

How to overcome the barriers to active listening
Being aware of the different barriers that exist to active listening will allow one to take preventing action in order to hinder these barriers from obstructing the listening skills <ref name=Barriers></ref>.

1. Do not talk, just listen. The first step towards becoming an active listener is to put effort into actually listening to what is being said instead of speaking all at once.

2. Use the nonverbal aspects of active listening to make the speaker comfortable by sitting down, having mild facial expressions, acknowledge the person so the person feels comfortable talking and elaborating the meaning.

3. Be prepared to listen and keep a positive attitude. This again refers to the nonverbal aspects, as body language is important here. Have a good posture, pay attention and even have pen and paper ready to note the key points and ideas.

4. Eliminate distractions. Push away irrelevant thoughts, close the door to remove noise from the hall, put the phone down, do not look at your watch or fidget with pens or paper.

5. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the speaker. Show empathy and try to understand the speaker point of view even though you might not agree.

6. Have patience. When allowing the speaker to complete a speech the whole message will be delivered. Avoid making sarcastic comments, interrupting often or disturbing the speaker in other ways, as signs of impatience may hinder the speaker in opening up about the subject. Also, make sure to allow the speaker to have a pause and deliver the entire message without being interrupted

7. Do not let your temper get away with you. Make sure to understand what the speaker is saying before reacting.

8. Maintain eye contact, do not stare but make sure to focus on the speaking person as this shows genuine interest in listening which will encourage the speaker to continue.

Why is active listening relevant to project management?
As previously mentioned effective communication is the key to success and to communicate effectively you need to be able to listen actively. A project manager is responsible for making the right decisions and considers the needs of different stakeholders which in turn will determine the success of the project<ref name=Effective communication></ref>. In order to make sound and correct decisions, active listening is essential as it improves one’s ability to decode and understand the information received by stakeholders. Also in regards to problem-solving active listening is useful to understand the origin of the problem <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
Another benefit of active listening is the ability to gain a deeper understanding beyond the words, as a good listener will pay attention to the body language and what is said between the lines. This will contribute positively to the corporation between the project manager and the project team, as one will appear trustworthy and open to ideas <ref name=Good listening></ref>. By coming off as a project manager who is open-minded members of the project team will feel confident to express emotions and concerns as well as present ideas on how to perform better, and participate in the decision-making which can provide valuable suggestions <ref name=Good listening></ref>.
By listening actively to stakeholders a project manager will gain more insight which will decrease the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the deliverables and objectives of the project.

Talk:Gantt chart and Scheduling techniques

2019-02-25T16:25:23Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Feedback on Abstract:==

There's some progress. However, I cannot give much feedback at this point as the abstract is incomplete (19-Feb-2019).

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Sofie Martinussen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''I think the abstact is good and creal but I would suggest to include all the tool mentioned in the article in the abstract, in order for the reader to know what is coming.''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The structure is generally good, i like the fact that the tools are presented in a logical way - e.g. first do this and then this. However, I will suggest to move up the section about scheduling so it comes before project time management, as you mention a few things that come before project time management. ''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Overall the writing is good, however, a few grammar mistakes are made - more punctuation would help the reader.''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Very nice figures, I like the visual elements. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Very relevant topic, however, it could be made more clear why it is relevant, e.g. reference to project success.''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Yes, very. ''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''Good referencing, but remember to describe the sources.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Place your name here''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Answer here''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''Answer here''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Answer here''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Answer here''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Answer here''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Answer here''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''Answer here''

Talk:Performance-based contracting

2019-02-25T16:06:10Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Feedback on Abstract:==

{|
|'''Text clarity'''|| Good
|-
|'''Language'''|| Good
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Could be more clear
|-
|'''Purpose explanation'''|| OK
|-
|'''Title of the Wiki'''|| Good
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum'''|| Remember to make it clear that it is related to project, program or portfolio management
|-
|'''References'''|| Remember to make correct references. Here are some guidelines from DTU Library: https://www.bibliotek.dtu.dk/english/servicemenu/find/reference_management/references
|-
|'''Other'''|| Make sure not to follow the same structure as the Wikipedia article about the same topic
|}

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Sofie Martinussen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''The summary is good, it highlights the main differences in performance-based contracting compared to other types. As the Sourcing Businuss models are the main focus, I wold perhaps suggest to present this earlier on.''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The flow in the article is good, and the one part builds upon the next, however, I am not completely aware of why performance-based contracting is better (or not) than others as well as the advantages of the model, and how to actually do this or shift from one model to performance-based. - perhaps specific suggestions on how to motivative contactors to perform better could be presented.''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Generally, the spelling and grammar are good. However, a few places singular and pluralism are wrong - I would suggest a read-through ideally by someone else.''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Figures are good and well described and incorporated in the text.''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''I think it is relevant, however, it is not directly stated why it is relevant other than it is different from the traditional methods.''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''I believe it is if it is clearly stated what the advantages of this model is.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The sources are properly cited, however, the summary of sources are yet to be conducted.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Simone Bruhn''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Yes - the key focus of your article is very clear - good job! - Maybe try to construct your abstract according to the content structure - maybe you should mention the limitations in the end instead of the Sourcing Business Models etc.''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''Good that you start explaining the topic more overall and ends with the limitations.
The flow of the article is good.
I think you will explain the Key Performance Indicators and Limitations more?''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''The text is clair and the langues good''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''You have some good pictures/figures explaining the topics (which I can see you will replace with own figures - good!)
It is good you explain each step in figure 2 - maybe provide the new figure 2 with numbers so the reader easily can find the topics in the boxes in figure 2, example:
1. Basic Transaction Provider
2. Approved Provider
etc. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Maybe be more clair in the beginning of the article why it is an important tool and maybe what happens if you do not use it?''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''The article is interesting. It covers the relevance of the topic, and it is readable and easy to follow.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''Remeber to make proper citation in all the section (I think it should be for every 100 words).l''

Talk:Performance-based contracting

2019-02-24T17:32:57Z

Sofie Martinussen:

Improve communication with active listening

2019-02-22T15:03:17Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==Abstract==

Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders and efficient communication is the key to project success [1]. Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, it creates relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the information delivered or received. A mean to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations are Active listening, an interpersonal skill. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.
The sample interactive communication model [2] illustrates the process of communication as well as noise obstructing effective communication and active listening.
When practising active listening with different stakeholders a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.
The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal.
The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships.

==Active listening is an important communication skill==

Communicative competencies are described as crucial skills for project managers to possess as communication is the tool utilized to deliver the correct information to the correct stakeholder and understand their needs [2]. In fact, a project manager’s ability to communicate effectively, directly influences the achievement of objectives as well as the satisfaction of the team members [3].

In the interactive communication model, communication is described as to parties engaging in a process of delivering information and put emphasis on the information being understood but also respond to the noise infliction the understanding of the delivered information. Hence the receiving party has to acknowledge the reception of the information as well as provide feedback to ensure the information has been understood correctly. In figure 1 below, an illustration of the communication process can be seen.

IMAGE

In face-to-face or telephone communication feedback of understanding the information correctly can be achieved through active listening. Specifically, the ability to listen is rated as a top 10 skill out of 50 skills a project manager needs to possess to have success with projects [3]. According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management active listening consist of five elements:

'''Acknowledging''' the reception of the information by nodding or saying “yes”, “okay” or “mmh” sounds.

'''Clarifying and confirming''' what is being said by asking open questions or by now and then repeating what the sender is saying. Furthermore, one can express doubts about was is meant in order to clarify and lastly confirm that is it correctly understood equal to the next element.

'''Understanding'''

'''Removing barriers''' which can inflict the understanding such as distractions, personal biases, judging the sender, stress, time constraints etc. [4].

==Active listening in project management==

==Barriers to Active listening==

==References==

1 Frank Cervone, H. (2014). Effective communication for project success. Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014
2 Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management. (pp. 372). Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications

Improve communication with active listening

2019-02-21T17:08:26Z

Sofie Martinussen:

Improve communication with active listening

2019-02-21T17:07:54Z

Sofie Martinussen:

==1. Abstract==

Project managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders and efficient communication is the key to project success [1]. Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, it creates relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the information delivered or received. A mean to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations are Active listening, an interpersonal skill. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.
The sample interactive communication model [2] illustrates the process of communication as well as noise obstructing effective communication and active listening.
When practising active listening with different stakeholders a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.
The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to performing active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal.
The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships.

==2. Active listening==

==3. The importance of active listening==

==4. Barriers to Active listening==

==References==

1 Frank Cervone, H. (2014). Effective communication for project success. Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014
2 Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management. (pp. 372). Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications

Improve communication with active listening

2019-02-19T19:24:20Z

Sofie Martinussen: /* Abstract */

Articles Spring Term 2019

2019-02-18T07:56:20Z

Sofie Martinussen: /* Overview of 2019 Wiki articles */

=Overview of 2019 Wiki articles=

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Spring Term 2019 Wiki Articles
|-
|13
|Evgenia
|Chatzivasileiou
|s182299
|[[Project Sponsorship]]
|-
|-
|13
|Theodoros
|Seremetakis
|s183272
|[[Investment portfolio management]]
|-
|5
|Federica
|Menti
|S182994
|[[Getting Things Done (David Allen)]]
|-
|-
|2
|Panagiotis
|Vounatsos
|PanosVoun
|[[Epistemic vs. Aleatory uncertainty]]
|-
|9
|Jack
|Frain
|Fraino12345
|[[Stakeholder Management Processes in Projects]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Edoardo
|Braccini
|EdoBraa
|[[Benefits Realisation Management (BRM)]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Andrea
|Könnecke
|Andrea Könnecke
|[[Shannon & Weaver Model for Communication]]
|-
|-
|Group 10
|Srdjan
|Gluhovic
|srdjangluhovic
|[[Project Scope Control Management]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Casper
|Claudinger
|Casper
|[[Managing projects in a functional organization]]
|-
|-
|8
|Ronglian
|Wei
|Panda Lian
|[[Conceptual levels of competence]]
|-
|-
|4
|Jesper
|Wolters
|Wolters
|[[Resource allocation and crashing]]
|-
|-
|3
|Oliwia
|Sonia
|Lubiarz
|[[Meeting Management]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Francisco
|Almirudis
|Frank Almirudis
|[[Scheduling: Critical path, PERT and Gantt]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Bartlomiej
|Maciej
|Tyczynski
|[[Outcome, output, benefit]]
|-
|-
|16
|Brynja
|Benediktsdóttir
|Brynja Ben.
|[[The Periodic Table of Project Management]]
|-
|-
|16
|Jonina Thora
|Einarsdottir
|Jonina Thora
|[[Project Management Success Factors]]
|-
|-
|Group Number 5
|Pedro
|Lopes da Cunha
|PedroLopesCunha
|[[Project Management: Cost vs. Price]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Sarantis
|Pavlidis
|Sarantis
|[[Types of activities]]
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Rikke
|Andersen
|RikkeA
|[[Cognitive Bias]]
|-
|-
|12
|Johan
|Hilsøe
|s154073
|[[Unidentified Risks]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Mads
|Kronholm
|Mads Kronholm
|[[DMAIC]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Anne
|Dittmann
|Anne
|[[Organisational Design and Structures]]
|-
|-
|12
|Thea
|Pedersen
|Thea
|[[Agile One Page Project Management]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Madalina
|Grigoras
|s186465
|[[Value to whom?]]
|-
|-
|4
|Martin
|Eberholst Carlsen
|Martineberholstcarlsen
|[[Project Initiation Management in construction]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Rasmine
|Søgren
|s145320
|[[Outcome]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Julie
|Rostgaard Andersen
|s123790
|[[...]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Dilan
|Casablanca
|Dilan Casablanca
|[[Prefabricated houses (industrial process)]]
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Sandro
|Pina
|SandroPina
|[[Create a pitch]]
|-
|-
|11
|Kristoffer
|Glahn
|s133378
|[[Vision statement]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Maria Christina
|Prokou
|Mprokou
|[[Negotiation Skills]]
|-
|-
|12
|Amani
|Alabdullah
|s173307
|[[Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Andreas
|Riposati
|Ripo
|[[Basic estimation techniques]]
|-
|-
|10
|Mark
|Christiansen
|s152736
|[[Stephen Covey's seven principles]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Signe
|Bjerrum
|s141886
|[[The Triple Constraint in Project Management]]
|-
|-
|9
|Sebastian
|Walther
|Sebastian
|[[Value Canvas in Projects]]
|-
|-
|9
|Keegan
|van Kooten
|Keegan
|[[Planning Poker for Improved Project Delivery]]
|-
|-
| 8
|Hagos Zeru
|Gide
|Trhas
|[[BIM as a project management tool on construction companies]]
|-
|-
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|William
|Durant
|Mangum
|[[Crisis Management when there is a Project Cost Overrun]]
|-
|-
|-
|9
|Shri Tejas
|Vedula
|Tehass 7
|[[The implementation of KPIs]]
|-
|-
|9
|Casper
|Gandil Qvortrup
|CasperGandil
|[[Application of Balanced Scorecard in Portefolio Management]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Mercedes
|Hachmann
|Mercedes Hachmann
|[[Design Thinking]]
|-
|-
|Group 1
|Rasmus
|Bjerg
|Rasmusbjerg
|[[Cash flow and milestone payments]]
|-
|-
|Group Number Pending
|Moritz
|Gutheil
|MoritzGutheil
|[[Dan Pink on Motivation]]
|-
|-
|Group 5
|Giorgia
|Scartozzi
|GiorgiaS
|[[Resource-Constrained Critical Path Method]]
|-
|-
|Group 3
|Hannah
|Kürschner
|Hannah
|[[Projects integrating Sustainable Methods]]
|-
|-
|Group 17
|Daniel
|Vorting
|s141018
|[[Product family master plan]]
|-
|-
|Group 10
|André
|Condamine
|S173349
|[[Belbin's Team Roles]]
|-
|-
|7
|Kristine
|Kaulberg
|Kristbk
|[[Governance of Project Management]]
|-
|Group Number 17
|Sai Mahesh
|Nadukuru
|Sm nadukuru
|[[Process Planning and Cost Estimation]]
|-
|-
|7
|Gustav
|Josephsen
|Gustav Josephsen
|[[Potentials of Key Performance Indicators]]
|-
|-
|11
|Rikke Louise Kjær
|Knudsen
|RikkeK
|[[Milestones in Project Planning]]
|-
|-
|2
|Hedin
|Gunnarsstein Poulsen
|hedinp
|[[Resources]]
|-
|-
|3
|Isabel
|Wang
|isabel.w
|[[Benefits Realization Management as a key driver of Project Management Effectiveness]]
|-
|12
|Frederik
|Sørensen
|FTSN
|[[Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership]]
|-
|4
|Simon
|Muurholm Hansen
|Muurholm
|[[Performance-based contracting]]
|-
|6
|Charles
|Hemmingsen
|s122801
|[[Programmification of work]]
|-
|17
|Alberto
|Tognon
|s172420
|[[Project Management in pharmaceutical industry]]
|-
|17
|Stefano
|Di Lenardo
|s190056
|[[A conceptual framework of sustainability in project management]]
|-
|5
|Arndt
|Oschinsky
|AJO
|[[The Project Charter]]
|-

|16
|Dana Rut
|Gunnarsdóttir
|s180289
|[[Project Management Reporting]]
|-

|-
|8
|Anna
|Shevchenko
|Anutka
|[[SAFe]]
|-

|-
|Group Number Pending
|Thomas
|Boel
|Morning
|[[Cost Control]]
|-

|-
|6
|Ole
|Moe
|s186359
|[[Prince2]]
|-

|-
|2
|Nikolaj
|Petersen
|s173344
|[[Managing habits in a project]]
|-

|-
|15
|Sofie
|Martinussen
|Sofie Martinussen
|[[Improve communication with active listening]]
|-

Articles Spring Term 2019

2019-02-18T07:55:37Z

Sofie Martinussen: /* Overview of 2019 Wiki articles */

Improve communication with active listening

2019-02-18T07:52:53Z

Sofie Martinussen: Created page with "==Abstract== Project managers spent most of their time communicating with different stakeholders and efficient communication is the key to project success [1]. Communication ..."

==Abstract==

Project managers spent most of their time communicating with different stakeholders and efficient communication is the key to project success [1]. Communication is the act of delivering or receiving information and can be written and oral, formal and informal, even nonverbal in the form of body language and the actions one performs. Common to all forms of communication is that when performed effectively, it creates relationships between different stakeholders and eliminate misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the information delivered or received. A mean to eliminate such misunderstandings and misinterpretations is Active listening, an interpersonal skill. Active listening includes acknowledging the receipt of the information through e.g. nodding, clarifying and confirming by asking questions, understanding and removing barriers which can affect the receivers understanding of the information communicated.
The sample interactive communication model [2] illustrate the process of communication as well as noise obstructing effective communication and active listening.
When practicing active listening with different stakeholders a project manager will illustrate respect to the person speaking by attempting to understand their point of view. On the other hand, if active listening is not utilized correctly or overperformed it will have the opposite effect as the project manager will seem arrogant for repeating and interrupting the speaker.
The communication tool active listening is limited to face-to-face or telephone conversations and barriers to perform active listening exist both verbal and nonverbal.
The purpose of this article is to describe what active listening is and how it can strengthen stakeholder relationships.

==References==

1 Frank Cervone, H. (2014). Effective communication for project success. Oclc Systems and Services, 30(2), 74–77. https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-02-2014-0014
2 Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 10. Project Communications Management. (pp. 372). Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXH02/guide-project-management/project-communications