2/13/2024 0 Comments Empathetic listening scenario![]() He lets Natalie know that what she has said will stay between them. John also makes Natalie aware of the support and resources that are available to her through the company's HR department, such as counseling and financial planning.Ĭrucially, John keeps the conversation to himself. He offers to temporarily lighten Natalie's workload, and reassures her that her responsibilities will be waiting for her when she's ready to return to normal. Counseling and SupportĪfter allowing Natalie to finish, John provides support without judgment. Interestingly, throughout the conversation, this usually confident person kept her head and eyes down. John pays attention to Natalie's body language, too. He rephrases her comments into questions during pauses in the conversation and asks for further input from her. He repeats the points that she's made, so she knows that he understands. ![]() It's not long before he uncovers the problem: Natalie has been going through a divorce and taking care of an ill parent at the same time.ĭuring their conversation, John acts as a mirror to Natalie. Then, he listens to what Natalie says (as well as what she doesn't say), and takes care to avoid interrupting. This lowers her defenses and shows that he's willing to support her. John calls Natalie into his office and simply asks her how he can help. To get to root of the issue, John uses empathic listening techniques to discover the source of Natalie's uncharacteristically poor work performance. Previously, she'd been the backbone of a thriving team. But she becomes defensive and says, "Why do you ask?" and, "I'm fine."Ī few more weeks go by and, still not satisfied with her performance, John continues to become more concerned for Natalie. ![]() John approaches Natalie to ask if something is wrong. She was late for her meetings yesterday, which was unlike her, and she seems less interested in work more generally, too. Other team members have also noticed that she's not looking too well. During meetings, she seems distracted and no longer provides the high level of input that the team has come to expect from her. Recently, he noticed Natalie pulling away from the team. He feels that he knows each team member quite well and regularly engages in "personal" conversations with them, staying up to date with the events in their lives, both at work and outside of work. Empathic Listening ExampleĪs a manager, John prides himself on being there for his team members, and he maintains an open-door policy. Where you've earned this trust, make sure you don't betray it. In doing this, you create better outcomes for the speaker, for yourself, for your team, and for the company as a whole. Remember: understand first, evaluate later.įinally, keep in mind that by earning the speaker's confidence, you are allowing them to communicate more freely. When you're listening empathically, keep your own emotions in check and do not allow yourself to become emotionally involved. For now, concentrate fully on what is being said and how the speaker feels. To do this, avoid asking direct questions, arguing with what is being said, or disputing facts. For example, "So you do not feel as though you play a strong enough role on the team." Or, "You feel your talents and experiences would be better utilized in another position." Or, you could say, "You feel as though you are undervalued on this project." This should be done in a neutral way, so as not to "lead" the speaker to your way of thinking.Īn empathic listener works to keep the speaker from feeling or becoming defensive. Repeat the speaker's thoughts and feelings back to them.Įncourage the speaker to continue with their message by interjecting summary responses. Try to get a sense of the feelings that the speaker is expressing, and stay mindful of the emotional content being delivered as well as the literal meaning of the words. It is important to show acceptance, though not necessarily agreement, by simply nodding or injecting phrases such as "I understand" or "I see." ![]() To use empathic listening, listen patiently to what the other person has to say, even if you do not agree with it. (You can check your understanding of empathy more broadly in our article, Empathy at Work. In this article, we'll explore how honest and effective use of empathic listening can help you to win the trust of team members, and address the root cause of workplace problems. As such, it takes active listening techniques to a new level. Lending a sympathetic ear to your people can earn you trust and loyalty.Įmpathic listening is a structured listening and questioning technique that allows you to develop and enhance relationships with a stronger understanding of what is being conveyed, both intellectually and emotionally.
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