Curious Active Listening Mindset (CALM) as a Leadership Modality

Directional talk, or dialogue?

Curious Active Listening Mindset as a Leadership Modality

Previously I shared CALM for receiving critical feedback. You can also have a Curious Active Listening Mindset for giving feedback.

In fact, from directional conversations to dialogue, CALM can be a #leadership #mindset and style of conversation entirely.

Curious Active Listening Mindset (CALM) For <Giving Feedback>

1. Set-up the stage for a dialogue

• “Can I share with you something I noticed?”

2. State the facts — just the situation and observed behavior

• Avoid making comments of character judgment

3. Invite their thoughts — calmly with curiosity, listen to understand

• Suspend assumptions
• Quiet the mind, no listening to respond, no parallel thinking
• Listen with no interruption, no interpreting while listening

4. Playback what was said

• Acknowledge what was heard

5. Offer support

• Differences are ok, ask more questions for mutual understanding

6. Offer to speak again

Curious Active Listening Mindset (CALM) For <Receiving Feedback>

1. Calmly with curiosity, listen to understand

• Suspend assumptions
• Quiet the mind, no listening to respond, no parallel thinking
• Listen with no interruption, no interpreting while listening

2. Playback what was said

• Acknowledge what was heard

3. Ask for support

• Differences are ok, voice back as necessary
• Ask to co-create solutions

4. Agree to speak again