STEP 3.

WORKSHEET: ACTIVE LISTENING

EXERCISE
Suggested time: 50 min.
Purpose: To allow participants to demonstrate and assess their active listening skills. They
also engage participants in a structured discussion of active listening in relation to job
performance. Participants will role play both speaker and listener as well as observer if group
sie permits.
Part I !"5 min.# $ivide into groups of three if group sie permits. %ithin each triad& assign
each person a speaker& listener& or observer role. 'ote: if necessary& work in pairs by
eliminating the observer role. (f you are doing this e)ercise on your own& enlist a friend or
colleague to do it with you.
(f your group contains three people& work through *ounds " through + below. (f you are
working in pairs& choose two of the three rounds to complete.
The Speaker completes the sentence begun in *ound "& ,& or + and speaks on that
topic for + minutes.
The Listener attentively listens. She asks -uestions to clarify her understanding of
what is being shared.
The Observer carefully observes the verbal and nonverbal interchange between the
Speaker and the .istener& making note of body language. The /bserver also serves as
the timekeeper& notifying the speaker when + minutes is up.
0t the end of each round participants switch roles so that everyone has a chance to be a
Speaker& .istener& or /bserver.
Begin Round 1. Place two chairs face to face for the Speaker and the .istener. (f there is an
/bserver& he sits in a third chair placed nearby.
The Speaker starts the communication by completing the following sentence: 1The
most e)citing thing about 2ead Start is34
0t the end of the + minutes the Speaker& .istener& and /bserver take , minutes to
reflect and to record notes about their e)perience in the first round.
*ound "
*ole: 5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
'otes: 555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
Switch roles and begin Round 2.
The Speaker starts by completing following sentence: 1The most difficult part of my
job is34
0llow , minutes for reflection and notes.
*ound ,
*ole: 5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
'otes: 555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
Switch roles again and begin Round 3.
The Speaker starts by completing following sentence: 16y fondest childhood memory
is34
0llow , minutes for reflection and notes.
*ound +
*ole: 5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
'otes: 555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
Part II !"0 min.# *emain in your groups and allow each person to briefly share his
e)periences and observations in the roles. The following -uestions may be helpful in
prompting the discussion:
Speaker2ow did you feel about sharing what you did7 $id you feel that the
.istener fully understood the meaning of what you shared7
Listener$id you have any difficulty listening to what was being shared& and if so
why7 %ere things said that you did not understand& and did you ask for clarification7
(f you felt a need for clarification but did not re-uest it& why not7 2ow did it feel to
have to listen and not engage in conversation7 +89 Page ":
Observer%hat did you notice about the .istener;s and the Speaker;s body
language7 (n your opinion& did the .istener demonstrate interest in what was being
said7
Part III !,5 min.# *eturn to the larger activity group and begin a discussion of the
following -uestions:
%hat is the most difficult aspect of effective listening 7
2ow does the content or nature of what is being said affect your ability to actively
listen7 (s it easier to listen to less personal communication7 6ore difficult to listen to
communication that deals with sensitive issues7
%ithin this job performance situation or others& how can you use active listening to
move toward mutual understanding of program guidelines and practices7 9or e)ample&
how can you use active listening to determine the basis for an individual;s
interpretation of information7
2ow do you plan to use the 2<0* model to be a better communicator7