Interpersonal Communication: Listening to Empathize

[LO-5] Th ink back over conversations you have had with friends, family members, coworkers, or classmates in the past week. Select a conversation in which the other person wanted to talk about something that was troubling him or her—a bad situation at work, a scary exam on the horizon, diffi culties with a professor, a health problem, fi nancial concerns, or the like. As you replay this conversation in your mind, think about how well you did in terms of empathic listening

(see page 47). For example, did you fi nd yourself being critical when the person really just needed someone to listen?

Did you let the person know, by your words or actions, that you cared about his or her dilemma, even if you were not able to help in any other way? Analyze your listening performance in a brief email message to your instructor. Note: Do not disclose any private information in your message; you can change the names of the people involved or the circumstances as needed to maintain privacy.