In a video by Julian Treasure ( 5 ways to listen better)

Relate Julian Treasure's talk to the listening process described in our textbook. How is what he says the same? How is it different? Amy's process does NOT include HEARING because not everyone can HEAR... Amy's process begins with Paying Attention...

Which STAGE of listening do you feel is the most challenging? Assessing your own listening habits, which of these do you do best? Why do you think that? How can you improve your weakness?

Example:

I do best and why: I do best at remembering because I use mnemonics to remember things so that I can process the information
My greatest challenge and why: My greatest challenge is paying attention as I am often multitasking.
Improve weakness: I will stop dividing my attention and give my full attention to the person with whom I am communicating.

1 answer

In Julian Treasure's talk "5 Ways to Listen Better," he emphasizes the importance of active listening and the various dimensions that contribute to effective listening, which align closely with the listening process described in many textbooks. Both Treasure's insights and the components outlined in your textbook stress the necessity of engaging with the speaker and the content, recognizing that listening goes beyond merely hearing the words being spoken.

Similarities:

  1. Active Engagement: Both Treasure and the textbook reinforce the idea that listening is an active process, requiring focus and engagement rather than passive reception. Treasure's methods encourage listeners to be fully present and attentive, similar to the textbook's emphasis on active listening strategies.

  2. Mindfulness and Awareness: Treasure discusses the importance of mindfulness and being aware of both the speaker and the context. This is reflected in the textbook's focus on the mental and emotional state of the listener, which impacts their ability to comprehend and retain information.

Differences:

  1. Hearing vs. Paying Attention: While the textbook may include the hearing stage as a component of the listening process, Treasure’s approach emphasizes paying attention from the outset, recognizing that not everyone has the ability to hear and that listening can occur through other senses and means of engagement.

  2. Exploration of Practical Tips: Treasure provides concrete strategies, such as observing silence and using various approaches to enhance listening skills, which may not be explicitly detailed in some textbook descriptions of listening processes.

Most Challenging Stage of Listening:

I feel that the most challenging stage of listening for me is judging. This stage involves forming opinions and evaluations about the message and the speaker, which can sometimes lead to distraction or bias, making it difficult to fully absorb the information.

Assessing My Own Listening Habits:

I do best at remembering because I often take notes during conversations, which helps me internalize the information. Writing things down allows me to process the information actively, reinforcing my memory of key points.

Improving My Weakness:

To address my challenge with judging, I plan to cultivate a mindset of openness when listening. This involves consciously setting aside initial judgments and refraining from forming opinions until I have fully understood the speaker’s message. Practicing mindfulness and focusing solely on the speaker's words will help improve this stage of my listening ability. Additionally, I might engage in reflective listening techniques, summarizing what I have heard before evaluating it.