Unlock Hidden Potential: The Science-backed Way that Boosts Self-Awareness
Research Shows Speaking with a Good Listener Improves Self-Awareness and Thought Clarity
Have you ever walked away from a conversation feeling like you understood your thoughts better?
Surprisingly, this phenomenon has little to do with you or what you shared in the conversation.
You may have been the one talking, but the self-awareness and clarity you received from the conversation happened because you spoke with a great listener.
It’s an odd paradox, but research shows that our conversation partners greatly affect our understanding of ourselves.
Researchers from Israel and the US published this fascinating research on the science behind this effect. Their research shows that high-quality listening, characterized by attentiveness, empathy, and nonjudgment, allows the speaker to engage in self-exploration. This, in turn, activates psychological processes, leading to greater clarity around one’s beliefs.
The research found that:
- Good listeners reduce our social anxiety. This creates a safe space for self-exploration.
- Good listeners increase our desire to share openly, which allows us to develop greater clarity in our thinking.
This research has many implications for management and leadership training that focuses on improving interpersonal relationships.
After all, if leaders want to encourage a psychologically safe environment that produces better ideas and outputs, improving a leader’s ability to listen must be part of their training curriculum.
Below, we detail what the research shows and how it affects managers and their direct reports.
Good Listening Reduces Anxiety = Increased Self-Awareness
We all walk around with a certain level of social anxiety.
Unfortunately, this social anxiety often prevents us from sharing our thoughts and perspectives because we feel judged. It sounds elementary, but feeling judged makes you more likely to hold back or present a simplified version of your thoughts.
If a manager is a good listener, it creates a space free from judgment, allowing direct reports to explore their ideas freely without fearing negative evaluation.
This relaxed state reduces anxiety, which can often cloud thinking and make it difficult to access the full spectrum of your own opinion.
Managers or leaders who are good listeners ask insightful questions that actively engage with your thoughts and encourage introspection.
This process allows you to delve deeper into your reasoning and consider different angles of the issue. It’s like having a spotlight on your internal landscape, revealing hidden aspects of your perspective
From Blurry to Sharp: How Clarity Emerges
This anxiety reduction and increased self-awareness pave the way for greater clarity around your opinions.
Imagine your initial grasp of an idea as a blurry picture. If you have a manager or leader who is a good listener, their listening acts like a clarifying filter, helping you refine your thoughts and identify the nuances of your stance.
You might discover new reasons behind your beliefs or even recognize previously unconsidered viewpoints. This process allows you to see your opinion with greater depth and complexity, leading to a more well-rounded understanding.
Sharing, Not Persuading: The Consequences of Clarity
Interestingly, the research suggests that good listening increases your desire to share your ideas with others, but not necessarily to convince them.
When you understand an issue clearly, you feel more confident and comfortable expressing it. You are more likely to engage in discussions or share your perspective.
As the rate of change increases, organizations must foster this level of confidence in all employees.
However, good listening is not about manipulating someone else’s beliefs. It’s about fostering genuine conversation where everyone feels heard and understood. The clarity gained through good listening empowers you to share your thoughts authentically, not to pressure others into agreeing with you.
How to improve listening skills
Managers and leaders who listen well enhance the understanding of their direct reports’ beliefs and assumptions. By creating a safe space for self-exploration, good listening reduces employee anxiety, fosters self-awareness, and ultimately leads to greater clarity around one’s opinions.
This newfound clarity empowers employees to share their thoughts more confidently while promoting genuine conversation and mutual understanding.
However, like other skills, listening takes time to improve. If you want to improve your listening skills, we invite you to attend our next product and training demonstration for an ECHO tool.
ECHO combines a listening assessment and a listening training program. Learners will walk away with a new appreciation for their listening style, which tells them how they naturally filter information.
