January Blog Post-Zach Haney

“If we strive for dialogic engagement in our listening, our opportunities for learning increase, and, by listening to learn, we can began to enact change in the world and in our relationships with others.”

            In this sentence from the Chris McRae reading Compassionate Critical Listening, it explains that listening is a meaning-making process.  It requires one to be open minded and receptive to others and their differences in beliefs, values and perspectives.  It also requires awareness of your position as a listener in the world and creates an awareness of others positions and differences. Listening is an ongoing process that can create change in our relationships and the world we live in. 

 According to the Harvard Business Review, (https://hbr.org/1957/09/listening-to-people), research studies and now business leaders are finding their effectiveness doesn’t depend so much on what they say as on their ability to listen.  Some executives reported up to 80% of their work depends on listening to someone or someone listening to them.  

In addition, there is an accountability between speech and silence as explained by the other class reading “Between Speech and Silence”, by Ann Russo, that explains active listening is really important to relationships and ultimately being heard.  It shows an openness to learn which allows for ideas and actions to be transformed.  It can sometimes be uncomfortable and create a feeling on unimportance, but it creates an opportunity to learn.  Listening is powerful!