Module 2 – Three Levels of Listening
Let’s look at the 3 Levels of Listening and why it’s important to develop this essential skill.
LEVEL 1 – Internal Listening
Internal Listening focuses on the listener’s own thoughts and judgments.
Most of us will recognize this level of listening. Although we hear what the customer is saying, we focus on what it means to us. For example, we may worry about the direction of the interview or what questions we should ask next. At this stage, we simply stop listening to the customer.
LEVEL 2 – Focused Listening
Focused Listening focuses on what the customer is saying.
In this level, the listener hears each individual word and how the customer expresses them. The words the customer uses and the story they tell is heard in the customer’s context. The core skills of summarizing, questioning, paraphrasing and restating are essentially used in this stage to deepen understanding and to build trust.
LEVEL 3 – Magnetic Listening
Magnetic Listening focuses on more than just the words.
At this level of listening, the listener is ‘dancing in the moment’ with the customer – taking in the emotions behind the words, the body language, the gestures and the tones being used by the customer. This level of listening gives the listener a heightened sense of awareness and access to their intuition. The skill of immediacy can be applied to draw the customer’s attention to what is happening in the interview here and now.
