JLBC Listening to stories
JLBC Listening to stories
By listening empathetically to a person’s story, you may understand why they want to work with you and their likely motivations. It’s about grasping what the other person is experiencing from their frame of reference, not yours. Stories also point to ways of negotiating with individuals or organizations and even indicate if a joint venture will succeed. Leaders who fail to take account of a person’s or firm’s past thoughts, culture, actions, and aspirations—as well as what they observe in the present— may face an unexpected culture clash. A lack of empathy and sensitivity leads to team performance, innovation, learning, and business success.
JLBC Tip
JLBC LISTEN TO THE SUBTEXT
Listen for recurrent patterns in people’s stories. What
do they tell you about how they relate to others, their modes of thinking, biases, and barriers?
Do the narratives express themselves in protective jargon?
Are the stories explorative, adventurous, or conservative, focused on maintaining equilibrium?
Do the stories place the individual in a particular role—hero, participant, or victim?
Are the stories primarily set in the past, present, or future?
Do the stories make or break connections between things?
JLBC IS WORKING ON RELATIONSHIPS
Do the stories claim particular skills for
the individual?