Active Listening Authors: Carl R. Rogers & Richard E Farson
Presented by: Chase Thomas
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Carl R. Rogers Bio 1924- Received B.A. from University of
Wisconsin 1928- M.A. from Columbia University 1931- Ph.D. from
Columbia University in Psychotherapy Professor of Psychology for
many years at Ohio State Univ., Univ. of Chicago, and Wisconsin
Author of over 100 publications Breaking theory of personality
development- Client-Centered Therapy
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Richard E. Farson University of Minnesota as a Naval Officer
Trainee Occidental College-received both a bachelors and masters
degree University of Chicago-received a Ph.D. in psychology in 1955
Also attended UCLA for graduate study Author of Management of the
Absurd: Paradoxes in Leadership;" "Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes
Wins: The Paradox of Innovation- won McKinsey award for the best
article published in 2002 1949- Met Carl Rogers 1958- formed
Western Behavioral Sciences Institute
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People are more effectively motivated when they are given some
degree of freedom in the way in which they do their work than when
every action is prescribed in advance. They do better when some
degree of decision making about their jobs is possible than when
all decisions are made for them. They respond more adequately when
they are treated as personalities than as cogs in a machine. In
short, if the ego motivation of self- determination, of
self-expression, of a sense of personal worth can be tapped, the
individual can be more effectively energized. The use of external
sanctions, or pressuring for production may work to some degree,
but not to the extent that the more internalized motives do. When
the individual comes to identify himself with his job and with the
work of his group, human resources are much more fully utilized in
the production process (Report from Survey Research Center at
University of Michigan).
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The Meaning of Active Listening Ability to listen intelligently
and carefully to those with whom you work Listening skills that
will help employees gain a clearer understanding of their
situations, take responsibility, and cooperate with each other
Definite Responsibility-not passive on absorbing words which are
spoken Grasp the facts and feelings in what is heard to HELP the
speaker work out his own problems
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Meaning (cont) Appreciate both the meaning and the feeling
behind what is being said Active listening must be grounded in the
basic attitudes of the user Must genuinely respect the potential
worth of the individual considering his or her rights and trust
their capacity for self-direction
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What is Achieved by Listening: Important way to bring about
changes in people Research suggests that even though listening is a
passive approach, sensitive listening is a most effective agent for
individual personality change and group development Brings about
changes in basic values and personal philosophy Emotional
maturity-more open to own experiences Less defensive More
democratic, less authoritaria n
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Achievement (cont) When listened to carefully, people tend to
listen to themselves with more care and make clear exactly what
they are feeling and thinking Reduces the threat of having ones
ideas criticized, making the person better able to see them for
what they are More likely to feel that their contributions are
worthwhile
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The Growth of the Individual: From childhood on, people have
learned to think of themselves in very definite and certain ways
Sometimes self-pictures are realistic, however sometimes they are
not Awkward teenager- star athlete Older overweight lady- extremely
young and attractive Harder to accept experiences that dont fit-
hang on to as a self-picture Direct attempts to change an
individual or change their self- picture is threatening- forced to
defend and creates difficulties in personal adjustment Active
Listening is the exact opposite of this
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How to Listen: Must create a climate that is neither critical,
evaluative, nor moralizing.. It must foster equality, trust,
understanding, and acceptance Must grasp and convey to the speaker
that you are seeing things from their point of view Listen for
Total Meaning: A message has two components: the content of the
message and the feeling (attitude) underlying the content both give
the message meaning Let the speaker know that they are heard and
understood
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How To Listen (cont) Respond to Feelings: Many times content is
far less important than the feeling behind it The listener must try
to remain sensitive to the total meaning the message has to the
speaker What are they trying to tell me? What does this mean to
them? How do they see the situation?
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How To (cont) Note All Clues: Not all communication is verbal-
become aware of several kinds of communication Hesitation in Speech
Inflection in voice- stress certain points loud and clear and
mumble others Facial expressions Body posture Hand and eye
movements All help to convey the Total Message
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Is the message illustrated with with visuals or examples? Is
technology used effectively? Are concepts introduced incrementally,
or with examples? Is the space conducive to listening? or to
interaction or exchange with the speaker? Are there avoidable
distractions? What do you think of the subject matter? Outside
Source Is the speaker experienced or nervous? What are his/her
non-verbal cues? What frame of mind is he or she?
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What to Avoid: Trying to change the speakers way of looking at
things- getting them to see the situation as you see it Plead,
reason, scold, encourage, insult- anything to bring about a change
in the desired direction Responding to your own needs to see the
world in certain ways that you see it- do not influence your own
views Listener faces problems of having to respond to demands,
decisions, and judgments- all seem to require the listener to agree
or disagree Must understand that an answer to a question is not as
important as understanding the expression of feelings or needs the
speaker communicates
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Avoid (cont) Passing judgment- makes free expression difficult
Do not give too much advice or information- seen as efforts to
change a person Positive responses are sometimes as blocking as
negative ones- makes it more difficult for speaker to tell of
faults that distress him or her Too much encouragement is seen as
an attempt to motivate in certain directions rather than support
comments The road to success is a long, difficult one, and you must
be patient. Im sure everything will work out okay
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What is Communicated by Listening: Most people feel that
because listening is passive, it does not communicate anything to
the speaker.nothing could be farther from the truth.. Im interested
in you as a person, and I think that what you feel is important. I
respect your thoughts, and even if I dont agree with them, I know
that they are valid for you. I feel sure that you have a
contribution to make. Im not trying to change you or evaluate you.
I just want to understand you. I think youre worth listening to,
and I want you to know that Im the kind of person you can talk to
(Rogers and Farson).
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Testing for Understanding Must constantly test your ability to
see the world in the way the speaker does Reflect in your own words
what the speaker seems to mean by his words and actions- the
response to this will tell you whether or not they feel understood
assume that one never really understands until he can communicate
this understanding to the others satisfaction.
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Problems in Active Listening Personal Risk: We all live in
glass houses as far as our attitudes are concerned. They always
show through. Risk being changed ourselves by seeing and
understanding the world as someone else does If only making a
pretense of interest in the speaker, this will cause the speaker to
no longer express freely People are accustomed to seeing and
hearing what they want to- making it difficult for a person to free
themselves from the need to see things their way Hostile
Expressions: Often directed toward listener Can cause listener to
be defensive
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Problems (cont) Out-of-Place Expressions: unnatural or
inappropriate behavior is difficult to handle- listener blocks out
these expressions because of threatening content Accepting Positive
Feelings: negative or hostile feelings are much easier to deal
withthan are positive feelings. True for manager because expected
to be independent and aggressive, therefore tends to see such
feelings as soft or inappropriate Emotional Danger Signals:
Listeners own emotions are barriers to active listening The more
necessary to respond to our own needs, the less we are able to
respond to anothers needs
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Danger Signals: Defensiveness: Stressing a point or trying to
convince- less likely to listen Resentment of Opposition: Its
always easier to listen to an idea which is similar to one of your
own than to an opposing view. (Rogers) Clash of Personalities
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Listening to Ourselves: A persons listening ability is limited
by his ability to listen to himself (Organizational Communication
Stewart Ferguson). Listening to oneself is a prerequisite to
listening to others Most important to understand your own position,
values, and needs