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RE: Listening: The Foundation of All Good Communication
Not really, although this discussion has some ideas kicking around my head about a post on using empathy to augment your listening ability. I'm also about to go back to school to get a Masters in I/O Psych (just finished my application!) so I'm sure I'll be revisiting the issue many times over the next two years!
That’s great that you’re starting a new program. Be sure to fit some comm classes in with this psych classes :). Empathy to augment listening sounds good. Every interpersonal textbook notes empathy as an example of effective listening, or really more general as just a type of listening. But I think it would make sense to consider it as an intention that would help guide one to be a better listener as well.
I'm sure there will be, my school is very business focused and they try to work comms into the entire curriculum. I think empathy is really its own special type of skill. It's similar to listening in that it is taking in information the other party is giving out, but it is on a much more subtle and instinctive level. It's a channel that in some cases you need to make special effort to open. It's also something that can be developed separately as a skill and engaged or disengaged when appropriate. For example, empathy can actually be harmful to listening when someone is trying to sell you something an you really need to focus on listening critically to their terms.
Good point regarding when not to listen empathically. It’s all about flexibility and knowing the right mode for the situation. You gave me a couple of ideas for future posts. Thanks.