The value of good listening cannot be overstated. It can be beneficial in the workplace, where you will need to hear instructions – perhaps only once – and follow them to the best of your ability. It can create a more secure home environment, in which good listening will help to strengthen bonds between family members. It can serve a person well during conversations or debates, as it will allow them to respond more rationally and to avoid mistakes in their responses. However, listening doesn’t always have to be career or goal oriented. Engaging in the act of listening can be used to help you relax and enjoy yourself in a variety of situations.
The act of listening to something for your own personal enjoyment is known as appreciative listening, and it has numerous different benefits. Appreciative listening can even help increase your self-esteem, a topic you can learn more about through this Udemy course. By listening to something you appreciate, you set aside time for yourself and doing that can do wonders for you. This can include lowering personal stress as well as raising your overall level of enjoyment and happiness.
Defining Appreciative Listening
Appreciative listening is one of the 5 types of listening – you can sign up for this course to learn more about that topic. The other four types are discriminative, comprehensive, relationship, and critical listening. Each of these listening methods has its features and methods that you can use to get more out of them. Each affects the way you, the listener, behave.
Appreciative listening is a particular listening behavior defined by when a person seeks out and listens to certain auditory information that they will personally appreciate or like. It might help them to achieve a specific goal. For example, you may choose to listen to more classical music and to learn more about it, something this Udemy course can help you with. Sometimes appreciative listening serves a need, such as listening to meditation seminars in order to self heal or fall asleep easier. Sometimes appreciative listening is just about setting aside the time for yourself to listen to what you enjoy, and nothing more.
Above all, appreciative listening is about you. Unlike informative or relationship listening, appreciative listening does not rely on any given message from the speaker. Even though the music, speech, or other material you are listening to may have a specific message, what is more important is how that message affects you, makes you feel, and inspires you.
Keep in mind that this does not mean you always have to like what you are listening to. If one of the goals of your appreciative listening is to broaden your knowledge of a style of music, spoken word, or other auditory experience you will likely come across some listening materials that you don’t enjoy as well as others. That is all right, because finding out what you don’t like is part of appreciative listening. Knowing what you do and do not enjoy can even help you to learn more about yourself.
The Three Factors of Appreciative Listening
Appreciative listening is subjective. This means it is focused on the thoughts and feelings of the listener. Rather than judge the material you’re listening to by the way it affects others, or by other’s opinions of the material, understanding appreciative listening begins with understanding three factors: presentation, perception, and previous experience.
- Presentation
Presentation refers to the medium in which a material is presented. This includes, but is not limited to, music, instrumentation, vocal speech or singing, radio or television, or other auditory formats. It is also affected by the setting of the presentation. For example, hearing classical music in a large concert hall is a very different experience from listening to it on a stereo system in your home or car.
Appreciative listening is not focused on which is better or worse – instead, it’s focused on you figuring out which type of presentation you like best, and why. One person might find they love listening to live music and another might enjoy the exact opposite. The temperature and size of a space can affect the way you listen as well. Lastly, the style and personality of the presenter or medium can affect the presentation as well. Spoken word poetry is a great example of this. One poet might be loud, aggressive, and speak in a rapid manner. Another might be lyrical, slow, and present in a song-like way. This delivery affects the way the listener perceives the music, but does not change the act or type of listening.
- Perception
Perception is important when considering appreciative listening. This is a very fluid concept. A listener’s opinion (or appreciation) of what they are hearing may change between presentations of the material, and can even change over the course of listening. An example might be listening to a great speech. The cadence, rhythm, and delivery method of a speaker might engage a listener, but they suddenly might be turned off by the change in tone or content. A listener must listen to lots of music and familiarize themselves with the different forms in order to identify what they appreciate and what they don’t. A listener’s perception is guided by their attitude, which can affect how they react to the world they live in, and – more importantly – what they hear.
- Previous Experience
Previous experience informs appreciative listening in a way similar to perception. Often a listener knows what they appreciate ahead of time. This is because they’ve already been exposed to it. The memory of a pleasant experience can greatly affect one’s appreciation and lead them to enjoy other materials in the same genre or by the same artist even more. However, one should stay open to new experiences. By finding more things you appreciate you develop your listening skills in addition to broadening your cultural horizons.
How will I know what I appreciate?
Only you can decide what you appreciate and what you don’t. Friends and family can recommend things to you, and this is a great way to find out about new things, but in the end they have no sway over your own sense of enjoyment.
When you listen to something new, no matter the setting or medium, always do so with an open mind. You might not like it at first, but that can change. Many types of music and auditory art can be challenging to understand at first, but this does not make it bad. It just means that you might have to work a little harder at the outset to get to a place of appreciation.
In this sense, you should be aware of your goals when you’re going to engage in appreciative listening. If you are looking to expand your knowledge base then you might be ready for more difficult music, spoken word, film, video or other types of auditory medium. If your personal goal is to relax, then listening to more challenging materials might not be right for you.
The overall point of appreciative listening is simply that – appreciation. Knowing why you are listening and appreciating what you are listening to can lead to a very enjoyable experience. Being aware of these factors will help you avoid feeling as if appreciative listening is a chore, something it should never be.
As a listener you should be conscious of what you are listening to. Learning conscious listening, something you can do in this Udemy course, can help you become more aware of what you are actually hearing whenever you listen to any type of materials. Being aware of what you are hearing, why you are hearing, and how it makes you feel will give you a better ability to enjoy it. It will also grant you the ability to discuss your appreciation of these materials with others. Simply put, appreciative listening can help you in many different ways, so begin mastering the art of this important type of listening skill today.
FAQs
How can I improve my appreciative listening? ›
Accept what the speaker is saying using affirmative language like, “Tell me more,” and, “That's helpful information.” Say “yes and” to their ideas, build off of their information, and be sure to appreciate more than criticize.
What are the benefits of appreciative listening? ›The goal of Appreciative Listening is to make the speaker feel valued, and truly understood without judgment. By combining active listening with positive psychology, our Appreciative Listening framework makes it simple and even fun to listen to those who we agree AND may disagree with.
What is an example of appreciative listening? ›Enjoying music is an example of appreciative listening.
What is appreciative listening in easy words? ›Appreciative listening is a way of listening in which someone actively goes in search of certain auditory information that this person personally appreciates or likes. Someone may also practice appreciative listening if it contributes to achieving a goal or meeting a need.
How can I be appreciative to others? ›- Give a Gift.
- Write An Appreciation Note.
- Compliment Them.
- Create Something Homemade.
- Take Her Out for Coffee.
- Lend a Listening Ear.
- Do Something They Enjoy.
- Make a Photo Album.
In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.
What is the purpose of appreciative? ›Appreciation: To appreciate is to recognize the best in people, or the world around us. Appreciative Inquiry draws on the strengths of individuals and organizations. These strengths become the foundation on which the future can be built.
What is an example of appreciative? ›showing that you understand how good something is, or are grateful for something: appreciative of I'm very appreciative of all the support you've given me. It's nice to have an appreciative audience. gratefulI'm grateful for your kindness.
What is appreciative mindset? ›An appreciative mindset
Appreciative Intelligence is, essentially, the ability to see the generative potential within any given situation. It requires a tolerance or threshold for ambiguity and uncertainty and a belief that our actions matter and requires persistence of action to achieve our goals.
The appreciative communication definition is that it is a non-violent, non-judgmental and friendly form of communication.
What type of word is appreciative? ›
APPRECIATIVE (adjective) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary.
What is appreciative listening answer? ›Appreciative listening is a type of listening behavior where the listener seeks certain information which they will appreciate, and meet his/her needs and goals. One uses appreciative listening when listening to music, poetry or the stirring words of a speech.
What are the three factors of appreciative listening? ›The three elements that determine appreciative listening are perception, presentation, and previous experiences. Your not only influenced by what you hear, but also how you interpret the message.
What does much appreciative mean? ›An expression of gratitude, appreciation, or politeness in response to something done or given.
How do you show appreciation to yourself and to others? ›- Say thank you. ...
- Start by appreciating yourself. ...
- Remind yourself to appreciate others. ...
- Pay attention and listen empathetically. ...
- Shine a light on someone. ...
- Random acts of kindness are always valued. ...
- Act on your appreciation.
Gratitude is a skill anyone can learn as an alternative to regret and fear. We can focus on the positive elements of our lives with a few simple practices. Providing sincere compliments can help us build relationships and be grateful for others.
What is the impact of appreciation? ›Gratitude creates good feelings, cheerful memories, better self-esteem, feeling more relaxed and more optimistic. All of these emotions creates a pay it forward and “we're in this together” mentality in the workplace, which in turn, makes your organization more successful.
Is appreciative a value? ›Appreciation is an increase in the value of an asset over time. This is unlike depreciation, which lowers an asset's value over its useful life. The appreciation rate is the rate at which an asset grows in value. Capital appreciation refers to an increase in the value of financial assets such as stocks.
What is an example of appreciative inquiry in real life? ›For example, appreciative inquiry was behind Walmart's sustainability drive and the creation of the sustainability index for measuring progress toward the goal of using 100% renewable energy and having zero waste throughout the lifecycle of all its products.
What is appreciative learning? ›By default, it means to notice, try to understand, and savour the positive value of a person or thing. This matters for wellbeing, because good human experiences are largely composed of taking a conscious interest in environments and events.
Is appreciative positive or negative? ›
That is, as appreciation is a positive emotion, it should lead to greater levels of other positive emotions.
Is appreciative an attitude? ›Shifting focus from ourselves to appreciating someone or something gives us the opportunity to express thankfulness for every part of our life. An attitude of gratitude means making the conscious habit of expressing appreciation on a regular basis for big and small things alike.
Is appreciative a characteristic? ›We conclude gratitude and appreciation are a single-factor personality trait.
Is appreciative an emotion? ›As is the case with other emotions, appreciation can be conceptualized both as an emotion and as a disposition. A person's current emotional state might be that she is feeling appreciation. Someone else might be feeling happy. These statements describe emotions felt in the current moment.
What are the 5 benefits of listening? ›- Active Listening Builds Trust and Strong Relationships. ...
- Active Listening Can Help You to Resolve Conflict. ...
- Active Listening Prevents You From Missing Important Information. ...
- Active Listening Enables You To Identify or Anticipate Problems. ...
- Active Listening Helps You To Build More Knowledge.
The benefits of active listening are as follows:
Builds trust and strong relationships. Helps to resolve conflict. Prevents us from missing important information. Helps to build more knowledge.
The benefits of listening are wide-ranging and immensely powerful. Only with effective listening can you understand others; enhance relationships; persuade or sell effectively; lead and inspire a team; or learn from others. Listening is the access to your desired outcomes - and it's key for your wellbeing too!.
Why is it that appreciative leadership is advantageous? ›Whitney says organizations that master Appreciative Leadership let managers, supervisors and team members discover and cultivate their unique leadership values and strengths, and to apply those qualities with integrity, in order to create a world which works for us all.
What is the importance of listening in personal life? ›Not only does listening enhance your ability to understand better and make you a better communicator, it also makes the experience of speaking to you more enjoyable to other people.
What are the 10 advantages of listening? ›- Keeps you out of Trouble. A good listener heeds instructions, suggestions, and warnings. ...
- TELLS YOU WHAT'S GOING ON. Life is a total learning experience. ...
- MAKES YOU MORE COMPETENT. ...
- MAKES YOU LOOK INTELLIGENT. ...
- INCREASE YOUR POWER. ...
- HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND OTHERS. ...
- WINS RESPECT. ...
- NEGOTIATES FOR YOU.
Why Good listening is important? ›
Research has found that by listening effectively, you will get more information from the people you manage, you will increase others' trust in you, you will reduce conflict, you will better understand how to motivate others, and you will inspire a higher level of commitment in the people you manage.
What are the 3 important reasons why it is important to listen explain each briefly? ›First, effective listening can help you become a better student. Second, effective listening can help you become more effective in your interpersonal relationships. Third, effective listening can lead others to perceive you as more intelligent. Lastly, effective listening can help you become a stronger public speaker.
What is the most effective form of listening? ›Deep Listening
It involves paying attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues, such as the words being used, the speaker's body language, and their tone. This type of listening helps build trust and rapport, and it helps others feel comfortable in expressing their thoughts and opinions.
Try breaking eye contact every five seconds or so, or to show you're listening attentively, look at one eye for five seconds, then another eye for five seconds, then switch to looking at their mouth.
How does listening make a difference? ›Listening is observing other's behavior that can add meaning to the message, while hearing is simply receiving sound vibrations. Listening can build better relationships with others, while hearing cannot.
How does listening to someone empower the person? ›2.Listen actively
People around you need someone who listens and understands. Sometimes many people just need to talk and find someone who is there to understand and hug them or do something for them. So by listening you empower them to talk, express themselves and feel understood and attended.
Attentively and eager to really understand what someone is trying to say. Good listeners seem to carry this power around with them wherever they go. It surrounds them, they mediate a sense of trust and warmth. Conversations with them usually just “flow” and you leave feeling refreshed and understood.
What are appreciative characteristics? ›Appreciative Inquiry (AI) has five important characteristics that enable the creation of new futures in support of the organization's highest values and aspirations: strength-based, artful search, collaborative, inclusive, and generative.
How appreciative inquiry help you overcome challenges? ›It is those questions that shape the direction in which we focus our energy, change, act, and grow. So, by guiding people through an inquiry with questions that are appreciative – they look for the good, the true, and the possible – positive change and action is primed to emerge.
What are the purposes and benefits of appreciative interviews? ›Appreciative Interviews are designed to collect rich qualitative information in the form of stories which carry a wealth of meaning, and sometimes a powerful emotional charge, rather than dry quantitative data consisting of figures and statistics. The aim is to uncover the forces which give life to the organisation.