Now, when asked what you know about Abraham Lincoln, you’re likely to have more answers to offer. His “of the people, by the people, for the people” is always employed as an example of parallelism, and he kept his words simple. In short, Lincoln considered his listening audience when writing his Meetheage speech. People have commented on their appreciation of the ‘permission’ that #SpacesForListening seems to give us to take the time out for reflection, and just to be. They seem to find that the spaces feel human, safe, equal, caring, real, and honest.
« Start with comfort, » adds Joelle, then « layer in fabrics and materials that feel tactile and grounding like wool, velvet, wood, cork, or anything that absorbs sound and softens the edges of a room. » « I think there’s a collective fatigue with overstimulation, » Charlotte Taylor tells me. With technology growing rapidly, more and more people are seeking spaces that support connection, creativity, and joy in their interiors. Think reading nooks, digital detox corners, and hobby rooms. It can seem like a rather big ask to dedicate an entire room of your home to the sole purpose of listening to music, but the idea is more about making your home more ‘analogue’. It’s somewhere to sit, to be still, to let sound wash over you without distraction.
You can do your best to focus on what the person is saying, then reflect important details and emotions back to them, instead of focusing on your response. While brief, closed-ended questions don’t exactly motivate someone to keep speaking. Before you respond, slow down and be mindful about the words you choose and how you phrase your questions. You may walk away feeling criticized, judged, or blamed — none of which spell good communication. Psychologist Robert Putchick designed an eight-pronged wheel of foundational emotions and the sentiments that branch out from each.
Listeners are more likely to absorb a sound when it is repeated. We are often unconsciously waiting for a repetition to occur so we can confirm what we thought we heard.3 As a result, employing repetition can emphasize an idea for the listener. Employing repetition of a word, words, or sentence can create a rhythm for the listener’s ear.
The best way to ensure meaningful critique is to solicit audio from participants that is NOT their favorite work. Suggest they bring stories of their own that challenged or puzzled them. This way, no participant is anxiously anticipating raves for their story; they are already invested in seeking constructive feedback. And participants who did not offer stories can approach the table with generosity, knowing their colleagues are willingly putting themselves in a vulnerable position. After a listening session, ask yourself what worked and what didn’t. Consider these questions and others, and adjust your approach next time.
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Plus, it offers a space to both conceal and display your pieces. Joelle Kutner and Jesse Rudolph are the co-founders of Ome Dezin, a Los Angeles-based design studio established in 202. They specialize in restoring the character-driven homes of Los Angeles and design around a base of natural colors and materials, creating a unique character with timeless appeal.
Every now and then, repeat what you’ve heard back to the speaker in your own words. Paraphrasing helps ensure you’ve understood correctly and shows the speaker they’re being heard. Both introductions set up the topic and even give an idea of how the speech will be organized. Yet, the second one is made more interesting by the human element.
When we make assumptions or aren’t fully engaged with our conversation partners, misunderstandings are much more likely to occur. Knowing what something is and knowing how to do it are two very different things. Holding space it’s like creating a metaphorical bucket for someone to emotionally and verbally vomit into. Sara Viezzer is a Trainee Clinical Psychologist completing her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at King’s College London, based at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. She holds master’s degrees from the University of Bristol and the University of Padova, and has worked as an Assistant Psychologist across several NHS trusts in neuropsychology and health psychology. In addition, fully engaging in the conversation and avoiding distractions will allow most of our attentional resources to be directed toward the speaker, noticing the nuances of their opinions more accurately.
They can also indicate an attempt to dominate the conversation by imposing their own opinion, which might leave the speaker less motivated to disclose deeper and more meaningful content. Using positive body language also shows that we are present and willing to follow the conversation (McNaughton et al., 2008). Gently nodding our head, making eye contact, and smiling are simple, supportive cues that help the speaker feel listened to and comfortable. This, in turn, makes people more aware of the experiences that have been shared in the conversation and open to reflecting on alternative perspectives that can prompt a personal positive change. Nonverbal cues include the person’s facial expressions, eye contact, body posture, and voice tone.
- She holds master’s degrees from the University of Bristol and the University of Padova, and has worked as an Assistant Psychologist across several NHS trusts in neuropsychology and health psychology.
- It facilitates greater openness from the speaker, fostering feelings of safety and acceptance.
- Plus, she shares what it has taken to grow Magnolia while staying true to herself.
- For listeners who prefer privacy, X offers a way to join a conversation without their identity being publicly displayed in the listener list.
It’s hard to describe in writing because somehow it makes static something that is naturally dynamic. Instead of being concerned about how you’re going to respond, focus on what the other person is saying. Rather than jumping into a response after someone finishes speaking, soak in what you just heard. Try taking one mindful breath before you begin a sentence.
It doesn’t mean that this individual podcast uses them, or has access to this functionality. Alison MacAdam was NPR Training’s audio storytelling specialist from 2015 through 2018. Before that, she edited and produced All Things Considered. Her projects include In the Dark, 544 Days, Tested and Capital Gazette (for NPR’s Embedded), Believed, and Pulitzer Prize finalist The 13th Step. At the end, consider a quick spin around the room to give everyone a chance to say something they learned from the session.
What Is Active Listening?
He is grateful to Brigid and Charlie for facilitating #SpacesForListening and feels fortunate to have been able to participate in some of these remarkable spaces. Chi is passionate about child wellbeing and believes that human connectedness is one of the crucial elements for healthy development. This is a space of peers, a facilitated session in which the facilitator is an equal participant, rather than an expert leading the session. All those participating have chosen to trust the process enough. To be “brave enough to join, brave enough to share” (in the words of one early participant).
Before you gather people into a room, decide what you’re trying to achieve. Creating a strong LinkedIn company page boosts professional visibility. This guide outlines key steps to build an effective profile, showcas… 💙 Cultivate Curiosity with Jay Shetty’s Daily Jay to practice the art of being eager to know more. This type of listening can help you see situations more objectively. Instead of jumping to conclusions or letting your own biases get in the way, you can get a clearer picture of what’s actually being said and make better decisions.
A space where there is equality of participation, nobody dominates, everyone can participate. An intentionally-created space of calmness and connection within a system which is full-on busy. With that said, it’s important that the person you’re speaking with doesn’t feel like they’re in a job interview — or on the witness stand. You might be able to suss out an underlying emotion to better understand what might be going on with the person you’re talking with. From improved relationship satisfaction to enhanced empathy, research shows that active listening is a life skill worth mastering. Interruptions convey the message that we are not interested in what the other person has to say or that we do not have enough time to listen to them.
It also helps create a positive environment at work by encouraging open communication between colleagues and improving teams’ collaboration skills (Jonsdottir and Kristinsson, 2020). Using validating words and feedback when listening to others’ experiences allows us to adopt a more empathetic attitude, resulting in greater emotional support and strengthening the quality of our relationships. Learning how to effectively hold space for someone is a skill that most people are not taught, but the good news is it is something we can all learn. Any user on the platform can host a Space, and anyone can join as a listener or request to speak without paying a fee.
Maintaining a good level of interest in the topic of the conversation can promote understanding and learning of a variety of subjects. In personal interactions, this approach helps incorporate new knowledge and opinions into our perspective, empowering our ability to see things with greater awareness. After listening, it is essential to respond to the feeling component of the message at the appropriate time. In this way, the speaker feels believed and supported, and an empathetic relationship is established.
Holding space means being present for someone without trying to fix, judge, or interrupt their experience. It’s about creating a safe emotional environment where they feel seen, heard, and supported — not pushed or problem-solved. Have you ever found yourself emotionally drained after a heartfelt conversation?
Being an ally is more than stating that you are one and what you value; it’s woven into the actions you take. In an interview with Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie opens up for the first time about the “agony” of her mother Nancy Guthrie’s abduction. What’s important is that someone in the room be prepared to explain — specifically — what makes each story work. This is a great opportunity to decode storytelling, by opening up project files in your editing software or looking closely at language in the script.