Sample class - Virginia Gunn

Message Received?

Active Listening: Misconceptions & Considerations

A short sample intro class, extendable to an experiential workshop

Session Plan

Contents and Objective

Contents: Core class on Active Listening + Add-on elements as desired (roleplays for skill practice and a Kahoot game to test learning) + More resources (worksheet, videos, an article...) to facilitate continued self-directed exploration and practice.

Objective: At the end of the Core class, participants will have improved their understanding of the "why, what and how" of Active Listening, and if Add-on elements were used, will have demonstrated and/or practiced their knowledge.

▶ The Session Plan follows just below. Scroll down for class, materials and potential metrics you can consider using to measure successful application of learning.

Core class

Active Listening.mp4

Quick, simulated demo class

Active Listening workshop.pptx

The slides used in the class

Add-on elements

Active Listening practice: Roleplays

Roleplays (experiential)

Kahoot game as final "test"

More resources

Improve Your Active Listening.docx

Self-practice worksheet

Negotiate Better:

Listening to understand and acknowledge fears

How to Work with a Bad Listener.pdf

Relate Better:

Dealing with colleagues who don't listen

Listen Better:

Re-tuning your ears for more conscious listening

Evaluation

I generally administer a survey post-training to gauge participant reactions and impressions, and re-test their knowledge over time. What ultimately matters, though, are changes in behaviors, relationships and results in the workplace.

Once additional Active Listening training has been provided (in whatever form), we could potentially look at 360º feedback surveys, customer or partner surveys, and/or conduct direct observations of participants, in relevant roleplays, and/or on the job.

The first step is to create a rubric for a desired set of behaviors, impressions and results. Below are a few potential assessment metrics, among many possible.