Blog Post #2

     In class we discussed Dialogic Listening. Dialogic Listening is "the quality of contact that exists for humans in tension with instrumental and objective contact." I think an important part about this type of listening is focusing how it impacts relationships. "All life is relational." This puts pressure on relationships like professional relationships, parent between their children, friends, and many more. An important part about living, is how to be relational. Becoming an active listener is an important part about being relational. 

     Looking deeper, let's look closer at the definition. Dialogic listening focuses on human interaction, and stresses active listening. There are two parts to the definition; being instrumental and objective. Active listening is just that. Focus on who is speaking, what they are saying, how they are saying it. For example, in class we tune out what our professor is saying, ignore important advice from parents, or forget little stories from our friends. Sometimes we need to take the time to be active in relationships. There is no quality to be instrumental or objective. On the other hand, people have to assume power has to define active listening. This can be seen between bosses and employees, teachers to students, adults to children. But Russo said it perfectly, "engaging in active listening, however, does not necessarily mean power dynamics have shifted" (Russo 37). It's true. Instead focusing on how not to speak to other people, relationships should not have to be defined by age or power. Life is full of relational contact; whether it have tension or not. 

     In class we also discussed how to become a better active listener. Tips like, "be structured, focus attention on speaker, repeat attention on speaker, and have an empathetic goal in mind". All these are great but for me the last one is the most important. I think being empathetic sums up active listening so well. Engaging, focusing, instrumental and objective, equal power.