PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENING

ACTIVE LISTENING EXERCISE 1 They always get the easy jobs, and you save the hard ones for me. 2

SELECT THE RESPONSE THAT BEST ILLUSTRATES ACTIVE LISTENING: 1. What evidence do you have for that? 2. You re forgetting about yesterday when I gave you the easy job. 3. You feel like I m picking on you and that I m unfair about the way I assign work. Is that correct? 4. If you would carefully analyze the work schedule, you would see that hard and easy jobs are equally assigned. Take a moment to choose your answer before moving on. 3

ACTIVE LISTENING EXERCISE 1: ANSWER The correct active listening response is number 3: You feel like I m picking on you and that I m unfair about the way I assign work. Is that correct? Response 3 is correct because it paraphrases back to the speaker the way they might be feeling and asks for clarification. The other responses would likely put the speaker on the defensive or shut them down entirely from more conversation, leaving them frustrated and feeling unheard. Let s try another 4

ACTIVE LISTENING EXERCISE 2 This is the type of work I can really sink my teeth into. I get so wrapped up in it, I can forget when to go home. The salary is OK, the working conditions are fine, but it s the work itself that motivates me the most. 5

SELECT THE RESPONSE THAT BEST ILLUSTRATES ACTIVE LISTENING: 1. That s the kind of attitude we like to see around here. 2. I can understand that because that s how I feel about my job. 3. Would you like to do more of this type of work? 4. The work you re doing really stimulates and excites you. Take a moment to choose your answer before moving on. 6

ACTIVE LISTENING EXERCISE 2: ANSWER The correct active listening response is number 4: The work you re doing really stimulates and excites you. Once the person feels heard and understood, then if you both want to you can move the conversation on to talk about offering them more of that type of work or tell them how much you appreciate that about them. But in active listening, those types of responses come after reflecting/paraphrasing. Let s continue 7

ACTIVE LISTENING EXERCISE 3 When I first joined this company, I really thought I was going to get somewhere. However, it s been five years now, and I m still in the same job. 8

SELECT THE RESPONSE THAT BEST ILLUSTRATES ACTIVE LISTENING: 1. Getting ahead is important to you. You re disappointed with your progress. 2. Be patient and soon it will be your turn to advance. 3. Let s talk about the things you can do to place yourself in a better position to be promoted. 4. Maybe it s because you haven t worked hard enough. Take a moment to choose your answer before moving on. 9

ACTIVE LISTENING EXERCISE 3: ANSWER The correct active listening response is number 1: Getting ahead is important to you. You re disappointed with your progress. This reflects back what the person is feeling and is trying to communicate. Final exercise ahead... 10

ACTIVE LISTENING EXERCISE 4 I was relying on you at that meeting. I thought you would be supporting my position. Instead, all you did was sit there. You didn t open your mouth once! 11

SELECT THE RESPONSE THAT BEST ILLUSTRATES ACTIVE LISTENING: 1. There were some pretty good reasons for my keeping quiet at the meeting. 2. You re kind of disgusted with the way I handled myself at the meeting. 3. Joe, I contributed information two or three times. I guess you just didn t hear me. 4. I was waiting for you to call on me. Take a moment to choose your answer before moving on. 12

ACTIVE LISTENING EXERCISE 4: ANSWER The correct active listening response is number 2: You re kind of disgusted with the way I handled myself at the meeting. This allows the other person to feel heard and assures them that you have understood. Once this agreement has happened, you can then move on to solving the problem for next time. 13