Environmental Problem
The most obvious source of environmental interference is noise. If the general noise level is high, you need to sit close enough to the speaker to hear comfortably. If the noise is intermittent or comes from outside the room, you may need to close a window or a door. Obviously it is best to do this before speakers start their presentations. If you must do so while someone is speaking, be as unobtrusive as possible.
Message Problems. Messages that are full of jargon or unfamiliar words, or that are poorly organized, make it difficult for people to listen effectively. We provide suggestions to speakers on using language effectively in Chapter 10, and on how to organize a message. As a listener, you have to put forth some effort to help overcome these problems. If you know that there may be unfamiliar words in a presentation, try to acquaint yourself with that vocabulary ahead of time. If a message is poorly organized, taking notes can help. Often you can find a pattern in the speaker’s thoughts that will make them easier to remember and evaluate. Try to identify the main points or claims the speaker makes. Differentiate these from supporting materials such as examples or narratives.