It came up in the last post, and it is something we’ve been thinking about quite a bit: How to listen online?
Listening in real life is sometimes hard enough. It may require skilled facilitation. Oftentimes, we’re not trained to listen well. It is much easier to talk than to listen, and listen carefully.
Online, however, listening seems to become that much harder. Many of the cues we are used to in real life are missing: for example sound, tone of voice, facial expressions etc. — even silence.
So, if listening is essential to leading meaningful dialogue and the same holds true for online dialogue, then the 1,000,000 dollar question is:
How to listen online?
Over the coming weeks, I plan to share some of our findings here in this blog. If you have resources to share or questions you want to see addressed, please comment.
I would think that “listening” online would be relatively easier than listening in the real world. When we are online, we are at least not busy talking (or thinking about our next response), and therefore more likely to be open to other’s ideas, which what listening is about.
However, when online, we maybe also be too busy writing and expressing our own ideas, which may also diminish our ability to “listen” online.
An interesting and related question is whether our “listening” habits are different between the real world and the online world. Would an introvert in the real world be more of an extrovert online? Would a good listner in the real world be less of a listener in the online world?
Great topic Tim. I am looking forward to hearing more about it.
- Pierre
Pierre has a good point. Aside from listening, there is a big difference between ‘talking’ online and the real world. I find that if you are online, at least when there is a focus, people have more time to think through their words, write drafts and refine them, and be confident in contributing.
In the real world, however, the ego tends to dominate more. I’ve experienced real world meetings, and time and time again, it is the same people talking; those that feel confident enough to speak, and those that are good at thinking on their feet. Others with good valid points can be overshadowed by big personalities.
This is one of the great things about online talking and listening - it’s a great leveler, hence democratic. Without the tone of voice, facial expressions and oratory skills, what it does is shift the listener’s focus on to the pure value of the talker’s words.
So although online “listening” might be a little dry and lacking in expression, it is less influenced by the big personalities and smooth talkers in the real world.
I base this entirely on my own opinions, and have no research to back it up!
I hope to share my views with you more. The topics on this blog are very interesting and important for my work also.
-Tom