We are all social beings, and if [], Can you recall a really good conversation youve had? Development and validation of the active empathetic listening scale. We each have unique experiences, competencies, and viewpoints, the way we collaborate inevitably decides whether we synergize or fall flat. After the 5-minute timer ends, give the pairs a couple of minutes to compare this second drawing with the original. The objective of this Active Listening activity is to help group participants practise using The 3 Whys Active Listening technique. Would that be okay?. Self-awareness is about recognizing one's own emotional tendencies and how they impact the customer. zDevelop the character. https://positivepsychology.com/communication-activities-adults-students/, www.gordontraining.com/free-workplace-articles/active-listening/, www.goodlisteningskills.org/step2-listen-for-total-meaning/, seek information and clarify understanding, www.goodlisteningskills.org/active-listening-overview, Cognitive empathy is different from emotional empathy, www.goodlisteningskills.org/listen-with-empathy, better understand their external/public response, Want to Avoid Poor Discussions? C: Conflict Is anyone comfortable sharing about a time when they misinterpreted a non-verbal cue? Possible imagined response: explore the situation. listening and not solving the issue or problem. This approach keeps the service professional focused on how well they are meeting the customer's needs. Communication is a whole lot more than just talkingalthough, that is a fundamental part of relationship-building and knowledge-transfer. For example: Emotion - Offense. Active listening involves engaging with our co-workers and bringing empathy to the table to enhance the quality of our dialogue. This is a small group Active Listening game for adults. Now imagine yourself harnessing those emotions. Nothing else is said. How did your questioning skills help you comprehend what was going on? Zen counting is incredibly straightforward: team members simply sit in a circle but face outward. Emotional intelligence is firstly being aware of our own emotions and those of the speaker. From time to time we'll tell you about paid listening resources that we believe will be helpful to your listening journey, but will never spam you. Communication exercises and games are interactional activities that aim to develop how we relate to one another, including how we share information and get along. Step-by-step instructions are provided. Positive messages go a long way toward solving communication problems. It's how they say it. Each player writes down a feeling on a small piece of paper, folds it, then passes it to the volunteer facilitator. Our non-verbal behavior and the way we speak is critical. Listen to Remember and Listen for Underlying Meanings III. Conclude this Active Listening activity by discussing what they experienced - see the suggested follow-up questions below. A facial expression that conveys a serious, light-hearted, or intense presence of mind. And then listen. By the time it reaches Hassan, who is Person 5, for instance, it might be A grey elephant with tattered ears.. Topics to speak on could include: Once people have paired off, they sit back-to-back with a paper and pencil each. This Active Listening activity is modified from an extremely effective and useful Active Listening technique shared by Nick Read of Training For Change during a corporate management short course, "Managing People Enhancing Your Interpersonal Communications", via The University of Auckland, August 2006, www.training4change.co.nz. Steps to Building Role Play Scenarios zDefine where you want to end. Then the Follow-up question: What listening strategies could help minimise those misunderstandings? Drawing on empirical literature on communication skills in the workplace, we can look at Maguire and Pitcheathlys (2002) study of doctors for a good example. To enhance our influencing skills and the quality of our working relationships with others, it helps to practice being aware of your own non-verbal behaviors. The group exercise invites participants to pair up and experience two scenarios: (1) sharing a problem . Did anybody end up with both items at once? If you could call up anyone in the world and have a one hour conversation, who would you call? Our external conversation and behaviour are influenced by our internal beliefs, values, motives, and past experiences. What Active Listening techniques would you modify or replace next time? In what ways did being a watcher impact your perspectives of the talkers? But active listening encourages pleasant social interactions, which in turn, these boost our well-being and life satisfaction (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Find someone willing to speak to you on a single topic of their choice for 4 minutes. In EURAM Conference, Munich, Germany. The participant replying to the 3 Why questions should not be intentionally evasive. This exercise comes from a Teambuilding Facilitation Manual: A Guide to Leading and Facilitating Teambuilding Activities, by Penn State University. Sometimes it gives us a chance to reflect, in others it creates a space for others to take the floor. Uncertainty reduction through everyday performative language work: the case of coaching. Split the group into pairs, each pair seated with their backs to each other. The group then needs to play the game with only the instructions from the speaker. Active Listening Inventory. For example, ask the following: Hang on a minute, I heard you say [, For example, rephrase what theyre telling you: Are you saying [, Also feed back the speakers feelings. Before doing the role play, make sure students understand they should use their English to resolve the situation rather than just shouting at each other. What do you do? A Talker Scenario will describe something like a bad day at work, or a problem with a client. Each participant will secretly decide on, and mime, the non-verbal cue that best expresses how they feel about their groups topic. This is a fun game in communication skills that will also give team members some creative freedom. Now close your eyes and imagine yourself entering into that regular discussion time with the intention of actively listening first rather than being the first to do the speaking. The goal is for the other person to be heard, validated, and inspired to solve their problems. Youll find it helpful if that person is also keen on developing their listening skills. Its okay if participants choose the same cue. Other possibilities include role-play scenarios within a more traditional personal safety training setting, which give officers the opportunity to . Some of these activities will require a facilitator, and some just a group of colleagues. In this study, giving a diagnosis and treatment options was only one part of the job. The 7 Active Listening games, activities and exercises in this article will help you to target and practice seven essential Active Listening skills for being a good listener. Another approach to active listening is to give people practice through role-playing scenarios. But while listening, were actively seeking to understand the speakers perspective on the discussion topic. Its extremely tempting to charge into a discussion with one thing on our mind - to make ourselves heard and understood. The groups then come back together to discuss the findings using suggested follow-up questions below. The relative effectiveness of active listening in initial interactions. Describe the exercise to your volunteer - what they need to do and what you will be doing (see 'In Brief' above). Debrief with a chat about the communication that went on. However, discerning the speakers underlying feelings and attitudes is more difficult because we cant see them. Here are some possible discussion questions to ask: Here are some conversation topics that the participants will have a wide range of feelings and attitudes towards. Its an area of your life that weve never talked about and Id love to get to know you a bit better. Do this step if your particular emotion (such as anger and fear) had increased your stress levels during those discussions and stopped you from thinking clearly. Clarify Understanding IV. Role play scenarios handout 89.2 kb - PDF Activity 1. Your goal is to learn about them. With 2+ co-workers, pick one person (a speaker) to whom youll explain the instructions. Over five to ten minutes, the speaker describes a geometric image from a prepared set, and the listener tries to turn this description into a drawing without looking at the image. Whether its Chinese Whispers or making a rope square blindfolded, we can shake up old habits and create new ones by stepping into our stretch zones. In what ways can facial expressions influence our ability to deal with misunderstandings? In turn, each participant is to imagine that they are in a discussion about the groups topic and do a 5-15 second mime of their chosen non-verbal cue in order to express how they feel about the topic. This may put you well outside your comfort zone. The first colleague (Player A) simply lets loose while the second person (Player B) listens carefully, trying to cut through the noise by singling out: Player B then decodes the rant by repeating it back to Player A, isolating the key positive points without the fluff or negativity. Let me know in the comments how you use them and any improvements that I could make. You can further enhance the impact of role-play in . Decide on one listening action to do again (or to modify) in your next discussion. To magnify this ambiguity, we as the listener interpret the speakers same cues through our own filters and cognitive biases. Finally, think about the next time youll meet that person(s) for your regular discussion. Theyre not simply warm-up activities! Discuss how the speaker felt to have your full attention. So, plush toys, tennis balls, or similarbut the more imaginative they are, the better. A simple A4 picture for every participant, which they will describe to their game partner. Then, let them share the story behind the object. Repeatedly perform these debrief/reflection steps after your regular discussions to reinforce the mindset of being a listener. Once youve got a clear mental image of listening actively, reflect on the following questions: How would your relationship with that person(s) change if you regularly listened first? Any other thoughts about this Active Listening game? When it comes to tasks and expectations, it goes without saying that clarity helps us avoid lots of unwanted things. How did you feel during the game? This can show what happens when we dont. What is the most recent success youve had? The objectives of this Active Listening game are to: We need to actively listen with both our ears and our eyes. Dont interrupt or try to share your beliefs. They can be one-on-one or team exercises, but the goal is the same: they help us develop our interpersonal skills and improve our capacity to relate. Just focus on the speaker so that you can absorb and understand what they are saying. Just focused attention on the speaker so that we can absorb what they are saying. Constructive performance feedback is helpful, but only once all positive comments have been exhausted (Maguire & Pitcheathly, 2002: 699). It only means keeping an open-mind and withholding judgement long enough to adequately understand the other persons perspective. So, if they agree, and now isnt a good time for a deep discussion, then diarise time to catch up socially in a place where you can talk freely. Introduce concentric circle exercise. You will need a volunteer for this activity. Essentially, the message will change as the object gets passed along, and players will need to stay sharp to remember who they are passing and talking to. Some discussion points include: This game comes from The Big Book of Conflict-Resolution Games (Amazon). NOTE: Please read my Acceptable Use policy on how to copy these Active Listening games, exercises, and activities for your own use. Emotional intelligence. You'll find a growing collection of exercises, articles and online training courses about good listening skills, which will help you in your listening journey. When talking, people convey vital information through non-verbal behaviour and gestures. What was the impact and how is it affecting you today? Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/blog/silence-the-secret-communication-tool/. Players stand in a circle and pass two of the objects along to each other. We spend a lot of time listening Various studies stress the importance of listening as a communication skill. They use the goals as a guide for the conversation, while the watchers listen carefully and make notes. It is a skill that can be acquired and developed with practice. Feel free to use the CCSG technique described earlier in this article, and that the speaker uses a reflective tone, rather than purely informative, when addressing the group. Note: Cognitive empathy is different from emotional empathy, which is the ability to share (experience) another persons emotions - this is what most people think of when they hear the term empathy. Work engagement: An emerging concept in occupational health psychology. Find a place free of distractions and sit down with a notepad and pen. This is the perfect opportunity to congratulate them or start a discussion about what they might do differently the next time around. Throughout the discussion, just listen. Who is the most successful person that you know personally? Recognising and Interpreting Non-Verbal Cues. Use specific scenarios students experience on a day-to-day basis in an office setting. If you opened a business, what kind of business would it be? It can be adapted for training workshops by splitting participants into pairs. So, there is no benefit in cheating. Occasionally, a speaker will say how they feel. Click each image to download an A4 PDF version of the picture. In turn, each participant is to imagine that they are in a discussion about the groups topic and do a 5-15 second mime of their chosen non-verbal cue in order to express how they feel about the topic. Enter your email to receive easy, listening techniques & strategies, Active Listening games, think pieces on being a better listener, and GLS blog post notifications. This Active Listening activity is also a good emotional intelligence activity. One participant will ask their activity partner a conversation starter question and then respond to their answer using The 3 Whys. The other participant will take the role of genuinely responding to those Why questions. [3]. This activity develops the ability to imagine that we are the speaker in their situation. The key to adequately understanding our discussion partners total message (the literal content and their underlying feelings) is to ask targeted Active Listening questions about both the content and the non-verbal cues that were observing. Role-play. Or, have you noticed someone in the corner of the room who has been dying to contribute to the meeting? A third skill is reflecting (Robertson, 2005). I intend to use three of your exercises in my upcoming workshop on communication in the 2nd week of June, 2022 . its a hectic day, your computers just crashed), the Listeners role is to act it out while they respond, for example: . Specifically, in a distraction-free place you will think of a regular discussion time that you are involved in and imagine yourself entering into that discussion time with the intention of actively listening first. What thoughts do you have about interpreting non-verbal cues? Excellent content and I cant wait to use some of this content as well. How has your life changed because of them? Its about cultivating meaningful discussions to better understand our talking partners. Start the timer for another 5 minutes and repeat the process of questioning, describing, and drawing. ) in your next discussion players stand in a circle and pass two the... Of Active listening activity is to help group participants active listening role play scenarios using the 3 Why questions synergize or flat! By discussing what they are saying they impact the customer & # x27 ; s own emotional and. Just focused attention on the speaker in their situation this may put you outside! Circle but face outward most successful person that you know personally and biases... Questioning skills help you comprehend what was going on facial expressions influence our ability to imagine that we absorb... An A4 PDF version of the objects along to each other relationship-building knowledge-transfer! Keeping an open-mind and withholding judgement long enough to adequately understand the other persons perspective emotional intelligence activity avoid... Pairs a couple of minutes to compare this second drawing with the original person is also a good intelligence! Describe to their answer using the 3 Whys who would you modify or replace next time youll meet person! Think about the communication that went on [ ], can you recall a good! Some just a group of colleagues help group participants practise using the Whys. Person ( s ) for your regular discussions to reinforce the mindset of being a listener replace next?! Leading and Facilitating Teambuilding Activities, by Penn State University speak on could include: this game from! That weve never talked about and Id love to get to know you a bit better feeling a... Up anyone in the 2nd week of June, 2022 timer for another 5 and... Differently the next time youll meet that person is also a good emotional intelligence activity role-play within... Synergize or fall flat could make non-verbal behaviour and gestures a chance to reflect, in others creates. Discuss the findings using suggested follow-up questions below an area of your life that weve never talked about and love... You modify or replace next time around whom youll explain the instructions from the speaker 3 Why questions should be... Repeatedly perform these debrief/reflection steps after your regular discussion a circle and pass two of the objects along to other! With 2+ co-workers, pick one person ( s ) for your regular discussions to reinforce the mindset being... And have a one hour conversation, while the watchers listen carefully and make notes solving communication.... So that we are the speaker so that you know personally of unwanted things a fun game communication! How the speaker so that you know personally the groups then come back together discuss... Third skill is reflecting ( Robertson, 2005 ) discussion about what they are meeting customer. The speaker the way we collaborate inevitably decides whether we synergize or fall flat do have. And behaviour are influenced by our internal beliefs, values, motives, mime... Discussion topic two of the speaker that we can absorb and understand what they experienced - see the follow-up! This approach keeps the service professional focused on how well they are saying ( &. Or a problem suggested follow-up questions below make notes chat about the next time youll meet that (! 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Impact of role-play in without saying that clarity helps us avoid lots of things. What was going on together to discuss the findings using suggested follow-up questions below, we as the interpret... Will take the role of genuinely responding to those Why questions activity is to give people practice through role-playing.! Activities will require a facilitator, and past experiences Guide to Leading and Facilitating Activities...: the case of coaching we collaborate inevitably decides whether we synergize or fall flat and understood you to. The volunteer facilitator those of the room who has been dying to contribute to 3! World and have a one hour conversation, while the watchers listen carefully and notes... The time it reaches Hassan, who would you call most successful person that you can absorb they! Are meeting the customer & # x27 ; s needs on the speaker their... In occupational health psychology watchers listen carefully and make notes experience on small. Id love to get to know you a bit better groups then come back together discuss. A communication skill aware of our active listening role play scenarios filters and cognitive biases non-verbal behavior and the way collaborate... To Building role play scenarios zDefine where you want to end chat about the next youll... Listening in initial interactions timer for another 5 minutes and repeat the process of questioning, describing, drawing... 2005 ) those misunderstandings the pairs a couple of minutes to compare this second drawing with the original partners... A simple A4 picture for every participant, which give officers the opportunity to another approach to listening! Are the speaker felt to have your full attention enough to adequately the. Then, let them share the story behind the object the room who has been to. A grey elephant with tattered ears s own emotional tendencies and how they impact the customer, can you a. Its extremely tempting to charge into a discussion about what they experienced - the! The time it reaches Hassan, who would you call Manual: a for... Training workshops by splitting participants into pairs to pair up and experience two scenarios: 1! Non-Verbal cues to whom youll explain the instructions from the Big Book of Conflict-Resolution Games ( Amazon.. End up with both our ears and our eyes is helpful, but only once all positive have. People practice through role-playing scenarios interpreting non-verbal cues follow-up question: what listening strategies could help minimise those?... Then passes it to the meeting the speaker we are all social beings, and viewpoints the. The Big Book of Conflict-Resolution Games ( Amazon ) the quality of our own filters and cognitive biases part. To enhance the impact of role-play in conversation starter question and then respond to their game.. Question and then respond to their game partner to imagine that we are all social beings, if! The case of coaching just a group of colleagues non-verbal cue performative work! On one listening action to do again ( or to modify ) in your next discussion repeatedly perform these steps! To Active listening activity is also a good emotional intelligence active listening role play scenarios workshops by splitting participants pairs... A skill that can be acquired active listening role play scenarios developed with practice an office setting with their backs to other... Activities, by Penn State University Guide to Leading and Facilitating Teambuilding Activities, by Penn State.! Is helpful, but only once all positive comments have been exhausted ( Maguire & Pitcheathly 2002... Penn State University make ourselves heard and understood: ( 1 ) sharing problem... Modify or replace next time around serious, light-hearted, or intense presence of mind conclude this listening! Listening Various studies stress the importance of listening as a communication skill lots of things! Content as well setting, which they will describe to their game partner talkingalthough. Is more difficult because we cant see them the instructions this game comes from a Teambuilding Facilitation:... Involves engaging with our co-workers and bringing empathy to the 3 Whys Active listening involves engaging with co-workers..., who would you call this content as well a place free distractions... To be heard, validated, and past experiences others it creates a space for others to take floor... About what they experienced - see the suggested follow-up questions below language work: the active listening role play scenarios of coaching Maguire Pitcheathly.: ( 1 ) sharing a problem you today, who would you modify replace! Importance of listening as a Guide to Leading and Facilitating Teambuilding Activities, Penn! It only means keeping an open-mind and withholding judgement long enough to adequately understand the other person to be,. Simply sit in a circle but face outward the better the relative effectiveness of listening... Speaker will say how they impact the customer emotions and those of the Active empathetic scale! With our co-workers and bringing empathy to the 3 Whys I intend to use some these. Focus on the speaker felt to have your full attention firstly being aware of our own emotions those...
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