Active Listening Skills

When in conflict with others, people tend to listen to respond as opposed to listening to understand.

There is a saying that suggests you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. So that you listen more than you speak.

I have expanded on Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith's cultural considerations model using the concept of whakarongo, titiro, korero. To listen, to watch and then to speak.

I believe that listening carries a far broader spectrum than what is ordinarily used.

I prefer the use of the concept Whak-a-rongo

Whak-a-rongo means to listen with ALL your senses.

While I've spoken of this before, this is another example.

Using the concept of whak-a-rongo asks:

What does what you've heard sound like? How has it made you feel feel? What does it taste like? What are visual ques giving you? What does what you've been told smell like? what does your puku or intuition tell you?

While your other senses also inform your listening skills you ultimately determine how you process and utilise them to either listen or respond.

Remember: It is far better for your active listening skills to use two ears and one mouth, than to use three mouths and no ears