Emphatic Listening

"Seek to understand"

• Listening to understand, not to reply
  • Listening for feeling, meaning, behaviour
  • Understanding emotionally and intellectually (empathy ≠ sympathy)
• Key to good judgement is understanding

Requirements

• Must have sincere desire to understand
• Is risky, takes a lot of security
  • In order to have influence, you have to be influenced
• Avoid Autobiographical Responses

Skills

• Rephrase content and reflect feeling
• Give advice only when asked to
  • Go back to empathic listening when you sense emotion

Results

• Gives other person psychological air (affirmation, validation, appreciation)
• Is a big Emotional Bank Account deposit