Congratulations, You Have Completed Your Listening Style Assessment!
(if you haven’t yet completed it, please click here to do so)

Below you will see there were 4 types of response for each situation on the assessment, an EMPATHETIC, a RECOMMENDATION, an ASKING FOR INFORMATION, and a CRITICAL response. These correspond to 4 basic listening styles.

I. Tabulating Your Results

Please circle the response you chose for each question.

EMPATHETIC RESPONSE:  A nonjudgmental response that captures the essential theme and/or feeling expressed, a potential for building rapport and mutual understanding.
1-a      2-d             3-d             4-d             5-b

RECOMMENDATION RESPONSE:  A response that offers advice, tells the talker what to do or what not to do, solves the problem or does the thinking for the talker.
1-c      2-a             3-a             4-b             5-d

ASKING FOR INFORMATION RESPONSE:  A response that asks for additional information to get a clear understanding before responding. Used to excess, the talker may feel "grilled."
1-d      2-b             3-c             4-a             5-c

CRITICAL RESPONSE:  A response that expresses a form of criticism resulting from a tendency to judge, approve, or disapprove of a message received.
1-b      2-c             3-b             4-c             5-a

We all use each of these listening styles, yet one or two are often our dominant styles. Additionally, we often have a dominant style that is situation based.

For example, a lawyer might be ASKING FOR INFO and RECOMMENDING at work while EMPATHETIC at home.

Also, styles can be state dependent meaning that when we feel strong emotions we listen a certain way. A person who is stressed may often respond in a CRITICAL way whereas when they feel strong or confident, they might respond with RECOMMENDATIONS.

Again, their is no correct mode for all times and circumstances. The key is to learn what works best under which circumstances and what works worst so we have the power to play to our strengths and adjust our weaknesses.

II. Examine your listening response pattern.

1.  The response I use most often is...

2.  The response I use least is...

III. What does this listening response pattern tell you about yourself?

1.  What do you want to maintain? Why?

2.  What would you like to modify? Why?

All four listening/response styles have their place. Learning to utilize all of these styles in ways that empower you and your team is the key to achieving your goals.

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