Do You listen to Respond or Transform?

Do you know one thing that you do 16 hours a day?

It’s listening.

Listening is most likely the most underrated skill. How you listen can be life-altering.

If you are not a great listener, there is no chance that you can establish genuine proficiency in any discipline. So, listening is essential to all of us as individuals.

After numerous failed attempts, the one thing that helped me connect with people was shifting my listening mode. Moving how you listen and pay attention seems like a tiny change. However, altering how you listen means you alter how you connect with people and how you experience relationships and the world. And if you alter this one thing, you have altered, well, everything.

To end up being a much better listener, you need to understand the four levels of listening by Otto Scharmer.

Level 1 from habits — Downloading — “Ya, I know that already.” — habits of judgment

The very first of 4 levels of listening is Downloading.

This kind of listening is restricted to reconfirming what we currently understand. Absolutely nothing brand-new permeates our bubble.

It resembles we’re skimming the COVID19 news these days to verify our beliefs or skimming some directions to validate that we understand what we’re doing.

We’re not truly present at level 1. The individuals we speak to can inform us that we’re not actually with them. They’ll feel somewhat overlooked and possibly disrespected. You might be preparing what you will state next.

Not just this, we’re also unlikely to learn much or have a productive conversation if we’re listening at this level. Most of the spouse conversation…employee boss happens at this level.

Level 2 from outside — Factual Listening — “Ooh, look at that!” — access open mind

The second level of listening is Factual Listening.

At this phase, we’re no longer simply listening for the things we currently understand. We’re focused, asking, and paying attention to the content of the discussion.

This listening level can be extremely practical; however, it’s possibly rather inhuman. In some ways, we separate the realities in the discussion from the human being we discuss. We are not paying attention to their feelings or emotions or the nuance of the conversation.

This might be fine; however, it might not be an excellent discussion for the speaker. We might likewise miss out on crucial details that are not embodied. We may miss out on ideas regarding what is truly taking place or how individuals feel about what’s being discussed.

I have seen some mentors and mentees doing this. They speak to each other just to get information.

Level 3 from within — Empathic Listening — “Oh, yes, I know how you feel.” — open heart

The 3rd level of listening is Empathic Listening.

By the time we reach this level, we begin to touch with the individual we are talking to, not simply the truths they bring. We’re moving beyond black and white declarations and starting to check out nuance, feelings, and emotions associated with them. Or perhaps related to the broader scenarios we remain in.

We achieve this in part through our mindset, in part through observation, and in part through questioning. If we open our frame of belief to consist of feelings, we can link with the speaker on a more emotional level. We can put ourselves in their shoes and begin to see things from their point of view.

When we do this, we utilize compassionate or empathic listening. This gives us greater clarity over the situation. It likewise assists them to feel understood and truly listened to connect with us.

In this space of safety, the experiences of both the speaker and the listener are enhanced.

Level 4 from source — Generative Listening — “I can’t express what I experience in words. My whole being has slowed down. I feel more quiet, present, and more my real self. I am connected to something larger than myself.” — open will.

The 4th levels of listening are Generative Listening. This is where listening brings higher clarity to what makes an exceptional discussion.

At this phase, the listener moves beyond connecting with the speaker. They begin to get in touch with the core concepts of the discussion and their prospective futures. They are completely concentrated on assisting in bringing the very best possible future into being, and their ego and any other barriers they generally bring are dropped.

When speakers and listeners can line up like this, excellent things can be envisioned in such a safe, positive, and positive method. It’s possible to produce new ideas and discover the energy and enthusiasm to bring them into reality.

All the great listening educators, coaches, and spouses don’t only empathize with you with your past, but they see you in terms of the highest future unlimited potential, and that’s what the fourth level of listening is all about.

We transform our personal and professional life completely with this one thing.

I hope this summary from Otto Charcmer’s ‘Theory U’ has given you enough reasons for the need to master the art of something we do for 16 hours a day, listening at level 4?

Do let me know what level of listening do you leverage while listening to the people around you?

Do you listen to respond or transform?

Thank You!