Listening Skills
What type of group activites can I use to encourage team members to improve listening skills?
There are several activities to help team members improve listening skills. This begins with the understanding that TRUE listening involves listening with ones ears, eyes and heart.
I also encourage helping group members understand their barriers to listening as a foundation. What do you believe your barriers to listening are, Syndia?
I feel I have a good understanding of what listening entitles. However, what I would like is to get your thought on how can I better guide my team to help them improve their listening skills. I feel that sometimes they tend to work on "automatic" when dealing with students and forget to listen and put themselves in the students'shoes.
This is a great point, Syndia. In face to face training workshops, we usually begin with helping participants understand what true listening is (not just about the ears) and then help them identify their barriers to listening. These barriers can be a multitude of things such as filters, preconceived notions, bias, judgment, preparing our answer, etc.
With this awareness comes changes in listening behavior allowing each individual to work on their particular weakness and improve in their own way.
Can you recommend a group activity that could be used?
There are so many options but let me give you a quick, fun activity that may help your group realize what they might filter out in listening.
First, have participants think of a personal short story funny, sad, inspirational,etc.). Secondly have them sit in chairs back to back with a partner and then one person recites their story (about 2 - 3 minutes). The room will be noisy as everyone is talking at the same time but this will force their partner to listen. OK to position them closer but try and avoid them having visual contact with their partner.
When all participants have finished their stories ask for a volunteer and then ask these questions to verify they were listening.
1. what was the story about? (confirm their answer with the person who told the story with a simple Yes or No)
2. How did they feel telling the story? (confirm the feeling with the person who told the story with a simple Yes or No)
3. How do you know they felt this way (probe for tone of voice, pace of speech, etc.)
Now repeat the exercise with the person who was the listener NOW being the storyteller. Give them a few minutes to tell their partner their story and then debrief with a volunteer in front of the group with these questions:
1. What was the story about? (confirm their answer with the person who told the story with a simple Yes or No).
2. How did they feel telling the story? (confirm the feeling with the person who told the story with a simple Yes or No)
3. How do you know they felt this way (probe for tone of voice, pace of speech, etc.)
4. Then ask, can you tell how the person telling the story is sitting while they are telling their story? How do you know? (probe for sitting forward, leaning back, etc.)
5. Can you tell me what color shirt (or type of glasses or what kind of earrings, etc) your partner is wearing? (probe for accurate answer)
Debrief: whether the person knew the answers on how someone felt, how they were sitting or what they were wearing may be difficult for the listener to answer. That's typically because we listen with intent. The second exercise left people predisposed with the idea that you were going to ask the exact same questions so they just listened for those things and didn't pay attention to any other details of the person.
Level 3 or global listening involves listening with your ears, your eyes and your heart (what you feel). It is truly a gift to be heard and to listen to another person with all your senses. Sometimes the words they use aren't as important as what you sense or feel THRU their words. Take the time to listen to the feelings and you will have taken a giant step in moving to level 3 listening.
End. Ok, do you think this one will work for your needs? Let me know. :)
One of my favorite activities is where I read a story allowed and ask questions about it later.
For example,
You are a tree farmer. In 2007 you planted cherry, lemon, orange, plum, birch, peach, pine and apple trees. In the fall a frost came and killed your lemon, cherry, orange and peach trees. You were only able to sell your apple trees at harvest.
Who planted the Ash trees?
If they were actively listening. They would say their own name because they are the tree farmer. All the additional information is just extra to listen to.
Interesting example, Ashleigh. Thank you for sharing. I'm curious how you've worked with those individuals who weren't actively listening to the story?
the most important thing is you have to make members aware that people who come to receiving any imformacion are interested and want to excel professionally so that rapport there and listen and always be true and correct answer because they trust us and put their future in our hands.
Role playing with team members evaluating each other.
Thanks for your suggestions Fred. Role playing can be a very helpful tool - for all individuals involved. Especially for those acting as the observers and offering an evaluation. Keep up the good work.
I think that listenting is key they build the rapport with me and they feel at home. We must remember they are counting on us to for there education.
Barbara, that's a great point. It sounds like you want to partner with the student in order to help them make the right decision for them.
Dr. Jean Norris
I agree with this person. Listening is the key to understanding and relating to a student.
Listening is so important. How do your students know you are listening to them?
when a student comes into my office, i stop whatever it is i'm doing and give them my undivided attention. my posture changes and i lean towards them, giving them eye contact and nodding my head.
gabriela,
These are all very important behaviors to enforce listening. How do you prepare in the not so physically obvious ways such as clearing your mind?
Dr. Jean Norris
