There were a few parts of these readings that stood out to me. One example was early in the Nichols reading where the topic was focused on the dialogue in a conversation. When in a conversation, a person may bring up a story that they believe is empathetic to the other member of the dialogue but, the addition of this personal story is for the benefit of only the person telling it (Nichols, 2009). This concept stood out to me because I find myself in a similar situation in a lot of the conversations, I interact in.
I find myself forcing one of my personal stories into a conversation for my sole benefit, even though I may try to convince myself that I am relating to the other members of the dialogue. This habit can cause a disconnect between myself and other people if they start to perceive this habit as boasting or as a selfish way for me to be put in the spotlight. This is especially true for more serious conversations where the other member(s) need help and a true empathetic or sympathetic dialogue.
Also, in the Shankman reading, a major challenge of leadership was recognized. A leader’s job is to do more than observe, a leader must also act and help in the process of accomplishing their group’s shared goals. In the reading, this successful leader is known as a “participant observer” (Shankman, Allen, & Haber-Curran, 2015, p. 231). This stood out to me because it recognizes the difficulty of analyzing a situation, looking at it from an analytical perspective, and acting upon the observations that you made as a leader. There are many times that I have seen what needs to be solved in a situation or problem but did not act upon the observations I made. It sounds stupid but there are some instances where I do not feel comfortable acting upon my observations including large group activities in classes. I hope to overcome this difficulty soon.
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Active listening means that a person is truly invested in a conversation. The emotions they indicate show that they are interested in the conversation and are constantly trying to understand and formulate appropriate responses. Also, active listening requires the listener to give useful additions to the dialogue that effectively contribute to the topic and at times need to express empathy to the other member(s). In the Nichols reading, listening affects us from the day we are born. The listening parents and guardians provide their child is essential for building a foundation of character and listening skills for them.
A child that is neglected is more likely to do the same to people in the future and therefore inhibits their ability to have strong, intimate relationships. On the other hand, a child who is responded to an appropriate amount can more easily do the same for the people in their life, allowing them to build better relationships on the foundation of listening (Nichols, 2009). Not being listened to and recognized can be very hurtful to a person. In my own experience, I find those small things such as being interrupted in a conversation impact me more than some might think. So, it is not hard to understand how much being neglected or not listened to can hurt and affect a person’s relationships.
I agree with this statement. In the module Assessing the Environment, listening and understanding other peoples’ point of views, goals, and being able to connect a groups idea allows a leader to better assess an environment. A leader that can listen to such factors is also able to understand the challenges they will face and how they might be able to overcome such difficulties (Turning Point, n.d.). I could never know what people in a group I was working in were thinking unless I was able to converse with them and understand exactly how and why they think the way they did. Even with my close friends who I have known for years, I need to listen to what they are thinking directly, and I can’t just assume what they might be feeling. Being able to hold this form of dialogue helps me maintain such strong relationships with my friends and family.
