Listening Impact

Dr. Doyle Srader, Northwest Christian University, Eugene, Oregon

Performance Listening

Question: How is the act of listening sufficient to fulfill the duties of the listener and/or create relationship?

Some findings:

• There are three categories of performance listening:

1. Listening toward relationship—calls relationship into being and establishes ties
2. Listening toward leadership—enters without an agenda and allows interaction to establish meaning and directions
3. Listening toward fairness—hear someone out much like in the judicial system where there is a hearing

• Measure of success is when followers are satisfied that the interaction has been effective and appropriate
• Communication is transactional and a co-created encounter
• Goal—use all three to be a credible listener so other person would say s/he’s been heard

Christopher Gearhart, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Sensory-processing Sensitivity

Question:  Is the Highly Sensitive Person a Highly Sensitive Listener?

Some findings:

• No, highly sensitive people are easily distracted by stimuli and may not focus well as a listener
• fMRI shows more processing activity and less accuracy for a highly sensitive person
• fMRI shows longer and deeper processing activity for a less sensitive person

Sheila Bentley, Bentley Consulting; Graham Bodie, LSU; Jennifer Grau, Grau Interpersonal Communication

A Time I Felt Listened To

Question: Which techniques make a person felt listened to?

Some findings:

• People describe attributes first and behaviors second
• Sometimes the researcher had to ask, “What caused you to list that attribute to get the person to describe what the person did?
• Women square off more in an interaction while men take an open positioning
• 80% of all malpractice suits are caused by patient feeling “brushed off”
• An initial reaction determines degree of satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the entire interaction, even if the first person encountered is not the main interaction (e.g. person at the front desk makes a good/bad impression, and that colors every subsequent interaction, regardless of how others treat the person)
• Back-channel responses, those that are unconscious such as nodding or uttering “uh-huh” signal understanding
• The key attributes included in a Physician Listening Study:
• It is assumed the physician brings these attributes to the table:

Confidence, Empathetic, Humane, Personal, Forthright, Respectful, Thorough

Most important verbal behaviors: Answers questions, elaborates on topics being discussed instead of answering with short statements, asks questions, does not interrupt or change the subject

Non-verbal behaviors: Maintains appropriate eye contact, focuses body language and position, engages in appropriate composure, smiles/laughs

Random notes:

1. Good listening gives you currency
2. There are four stages of counseling/therapy
• engagement
• assessment in context
• insight
• action

3. Babies borrow their sound from parents—that’s why many children have similar voices and speech patterns as their parents
4. Listening is enhanced when the listener asks: Who/what am I as a listener in this situation?
5. Anticipation of where the speaker is going next derails communication
6. Metaphor: Listening is a cup.  If it’s full with our own stuff, there’s no room for another’s.

There was a lot of validation of our work in Listening Impact, especially for Hear! Hear? Your Listening Portfolio ®

Active Listening might be a passé term: What would you nominate in its place?