Parks & Recreation Listening and Laundering: Tools for Effective Communication Tuesday, Nov. 21st, 2017 11:50-12:50am by Vanessa Avery, PhD Transcendence Education, Inc. www.transcendenceeducation.com

Agenda Key Learning Outcomes Opening Ideas about Communication Communicating Dialogically Deep Listening How people normally listen and communicate New methods for listening and communication Barriers to Effective Cross-Cultural Communication Practicum on controversial topics Screening and Analysis Identifying Commitments

Key Learning Outcomes Distinguish typical listening and communications patterns and how they affect communication and relatedness Identify barriers to cross-cultural communication Ability to define new listening patterns and how they can transform communication and deepen relationships, including in situations of conflict Practice new listening patterns through practicum

Some opening ideas   Perhaps one of the greatest tools for navigating organizational relationships and processes is our ability to communicate. Communication most often takes the form of one the following: A conversation: information and ideas flow between people for the primary purpose of self-expression A discussion: information and ideas are exchanged in order to accomplish a specific task or to solve a problem Training or Education: helps people learn something, usually by transferring knowledge from the teacher/trainer to the student Debate: like a contest in which there are winners and losers; participants listen to each other to find what is wrong, incomplete, or otherwise flawed

The Alternative: Dialogue Definition: “Dialogue aims to build relationships between people as they address a common concern; dialogue also aims to help groups take in more information and perspectives than they previously had as they attempt to forge a new and broader understanding of a situation.” (Schirch & Campt) Dialogue: Is unique as it focuses on listening for understanding; Is best when participants listen for what might be correct, true, and insightful about what others have stated; Is when: “the listeners try to find ideas with which they can agree, and potentially combine those with their own ideas to build a larger truth than any side has on its own.” (The Little Book of Dialogue for Difficult Subjects, Loc. 94) *Dialogue requires a willingness to learn from those who believe differently.

Identifying Typical Listening And COMmunication Patterns Exercise Identifying Typical Listening And COMmunication Patterns

Listening and Communication Typical Patterns Dialogical/Transformational Patterns Benefits and Sacrifices Already Always Speaking Already Always Listening Deep Listening Paraphrasing/Mirroring Hearing Hidden Offers Generalities to Specifics Laundering

Unconscious Communication Culturally Driven Expectations Barriers to effective Cross-Cultural Communication: Additional Perspectives Prior Associations Unconscious Communication Culturally Driven Expectations Selective Perception Stereotypes Subconscious Cultural Blinders Lack of Cultural Self-Awareness

Listening and Communication Practicum Controversial topics

Dialogical/Transformational Patterns Deep Listening Paraphrasing/Mirroring Hearing Hidden Offers Need to be Met Contribution Commitment Common Ground Nothing’s Wrong Generalities to Specifics Laundering

Guidelines for Dialogue by Zen Master Jeong Ji Vow. Listen. Ask questions. Suspend judgment. Speak from experience. Become new. Trust. Become equal.

Identifying Commitments Leadership in Listening and Communication Identifying Commitments