Today's Reading
"Listening (In Order) To"
Good active listening includes the techniques highlighted in the previous section. Radical Listening goes one step further by being clear about the intention for listening. This can happen before a single word has been spoken. Identifying your intention for listening is the first step of Radical Listening. In other words, knowing your primary motivation before the start of a conversation increases the chances that it will be beneficial for both you and the people you will be listening to. As the term implies, it is helpful to know the main reason that you will be listening to someone.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE: TAKE A MOMENT
Please take a moment to think about all the reasons that you listen to people. Maybe cast your mind back over the last few days. When have you been in "listening mode"? What were your reasons for listening? In which situations do you feel most connected to others?
Radical Listening is predicated on the idea that human beings have the ability to listen for differing purposes. That is why we have included the common human motivations for listening in the framework. Each is discussed here. We have divided them into social motivations (where the purpose is related to human relationships) and cognitive motivations (where the purpose is related to support thinking processes).
SOCIAL MOTIVATIONS
1.Connect
This is the intention to build a strong social connection with another person or group of people.
2. Appreciate
This is the intention to value others, including a motivation to acknowledge their contributions or ways of being.
3. Influence
This is the intention to encourage people to feel or think in a particular way. As an example, it is possible to listen in a way that can build a person's self-esteem. In another context, it may be more about listening to people so that they are more open to change or innovation.
COGNITIVE MOTIVATIONS
1. Learn
This is the intention to take in as much information as possible. This is the mode that is most often associated with students. It requires listeners to stay focused and avoid distractions.
2. Understand
Currently, this may be the most common intention of listening. To put it simply, people listen in order to comprehend the views, positions, or experiences of others.
3. Solve
This is the intention to listen to others to gather sufficient information to support them in solving a problem or overcoming barriers. Many managers, leaders, and other people in positions of authority default to this way of listening.
The Radical Listening framework (Figure 1.1) (Figure not shown) presents the primary motivations in the outer circle. Before engaging in listening, it is essential to be clear about the intention of the interaction. At the center of the model are the fundamental skills of Radical Listening. Some of these skills are hidden during conversations. They relate to cognitive processes within the mind of the Radical Listener. This is why they are identified as "internal." They are presented on the left. The other three skills are visible during conversations (these are identified as "external"). They are behavioral interventions that can be used during Radical Listening.
INTERNAL SKILLS
The effective use of internal skills is essential in facilitating the social conditions for Radical Listening to occur. Noticing requires the listener to be attentive during conversations. When a person is good at noticing, they can direct their attention to what is most important for a particular interaction.
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