Active Listening and Non Profits

Active listening is defined in Wikipedia as:

Active listening is an intent "listening for meaning" in which the listener checks with the speaker to see that a statement has been correctly heard and understood. The goal of active listening is to improve mutual understanding.

Beth Kanter, a complete powerhouse in the non profit sector, blogs about her recent Social Media presentation in the UK which focused on the importance of listening. From her post:

The premise is that listening must become a priority in order to use the Web2.0 tools successfully. I think it is a pretty critical marketing practice despite what technology tools you are using.

Allison Fine in her book Momentum notes: "Listening requires genuine interest in what that person is saying and a willingness to change as a result of what was said." She gives examples of the listening deficits, but also the ways that social media tools can facilitate listening. She acknowledges that it takes time to listen and that there is no way around it. (more) (ed: emphasis added by me)

Beth's post goes on and outlays exactly how you can improve your Internet listening skills. If you are in public relations or involved in a non profit, this is a great resource. Go read it.

Comments

[Beth]

Powerhouse? :-)

Great to discover your blog after our ongoing flickr conversations!

Well done!

[Aaron Long]

That was a great post... I liked the Ego Points linked on her site.

I have no presence. At least I know where I am.

Also, I didn't realize till after my post that you were the source in my bloglines. Funny? I edited my post and gave you credit.