INDICATORS OF BODY LANGUAGE THAT IMPLY
INATTENTIVENESS AND OUTCOME OF LISTENING
INATTENTIVELY
Indicators Of Body Language That Imply Inattentiveness
#1. Poor stance or posture.
Audiences cue in on your sense of self-worth by how you hold yourself. Slumped shoulders and
a caved chest indicate surrender, not a willingness to take on the world in a worthy endeavor.
#2. Avoiding eye contact.
You know the variations of this one: the nervous speaker who talks to the floor. The PowerPoint
user who has a cozy dialogue with the screen while ignoring the audience. The keynoter who has
an excellent relationship with his notes and none with the people in the seats. Or a presenter who
reads those amazing invisible notes on the ceiling none of the rest of us can see.
#3. Creating a barrier that shuts out listeners.
This sin has many variations. Standing with arms crossed; the fig leaf position of hands in front
of the crotch; creating a church steeple with one's fingers; "washing" the hands while speaking;
even a gesture with palm outward toward the audience that seems to say, "Stop!" Every one
of these features a speaker creating a physical barrier in front of listeners.
#4. Unproductive use of space.
It's odd how we over-emphasize gestures in public speaking, and ignore space. An audience
expects you to use space, not impersonate a statue. In fact, it's your job to command space.
#5. Employing weak or repetitive gestures.
"What should I do with my hands?" is a frequent question of anxious speakers. The answer is
simple: a gesture should be an integral part of what you're sayingas Hamlet put it, "Suiting the
action to the word, the word to the action."
#6. Relating negatively to listeners.
You've seen speakers accomplish this remarkable feat: Rather than cultivating influence with an
audience, they antagonize them. Negative facial expressions, nodding impatiently at a questioner
so they'll shut up so you can answer, pointing a stiff finger at the next unlucky questioner in line.
#7. Clumsy use of objects.
You've seen the laser pointers that dance playfully close to an audience member's eyes; the
writing instruments never once used in a presentation; the gravity-defying pieces of chalk; and
the microphones blown into, held too close, or used as hand extensions for wild gestures.
Outcome Of Listening Inattentively
Low Concentration
Low concentration, or not paying close attention to speakers, is detrimental to effective listening.
It can result from various psychological or physical situations such as visual or auditory
distractions, physical discomfort, inadequate volume, lack of interest in the subject material,
stress, or personal bias. Regardless of the cause, when a listener is not paying attention to a
speaker's dialogue, effective communication is significantly diminished.
Lack of Prioritization
Just as lack of attention to detail in a conversation can lead to ineffective listening, so can
focusing too much attention on the least important information. Listeners need to be able to pick
up on social cues and prioritize the information they hear to identify the most important points
within the context of the conversation.
Poor Judgement
When listening to a speaker's message, it is common to sometimes overlook aspects of the
conversation or make judgments before all of the information is presented. Listeners
often engage in confirmation bias, which is the tendency to isolate aspects of a conversation to
support one's own preexisting beliefs and values. This psychological process has a detrimental
effect on listening for several reasons.
Focusing on Style, Not Substance
The vividness effect explains how vivid or highly graphic an individual's perception of a
situation. When observing an event in person, an observer is automatically drawn toward the
sensational, vivid or memorable aspects of a conversation or speech.
