No one can listen fully all day, but a few conversations each week truly deserve it.
In a tense conversation, you prepare your reply while the other person is still talking, and you miss what matters most. This module shows you how to switch modes when the situation calls for it: create calm before the conversation, match the other person’s pace, ask open questions, and rephrase until they tell you: “Yes, that’s exactly it.”
~20 min at your own paceKey skill: Active listeningAvailable in FR + ENNo prerequisites
What you’ll take away
- the signs that tell you a conversation deserves your full attention
- the 90-second rule: let the other person finish before you step in
- the three listening tools: the right style, the right question, and the rephrasing that gets a “yes”
Who it’s for
Anyone whose work depends on conversations that matter: client appointments, sensitive meetings, and difficult team discussions.
Learning objectives
- Identify the moments that call for active listening: a sensitive topic, a difficult discussion, emotions, or an unwelcome decision.
- Prepare to be present before a conversation that matters, then match the other person’s style, in person or remotely.
- Allow 90 seconds of uninterrupted speaking, then ask questions rather than offer a solution right away.
- Rephrase the other person’s ideas and feelings until they say “yes, that’s it,” then go deeper with Otto Scharmer’s levels of listening.
How does this module work?
The steps of the Adaptive module.
- Self-assessmentOn nine dimensions, to gauge current habits and guide the practice.
- Expert videoA ~10 min video with three pauses for reflection.
- Practice scenariosThe first two scenarios chosen from the self-assessment, then sixteen more, optional. Every answer gets feedback: what it leads to, and one way to improve.
- Dated commitmentOne action to try, written by the learner or chosen from the suggestions.
- Memo to downloadKey takeaways, questions, commitment, personal notes, and checklists.
Duration: ~20 min. Excluding bonus practice scenarios and optional in-depth content.
