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Active,Non-judgmental/Critical Listening
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It looks like Dwight was able to do some active listening. He understood and acknowledged Molly’s feelings about her boss and even prompted her to explore on these feelings and thoughts. Active listening is all about realizing your own meaningful understanding of the speaker’s messages. Dwight was able to realize that Molly was being treated horribly by her boss, he listened, and showed empathy with her: “I know it can’t be easy working for Jan. Good luck with your feelings.” It’s a good thing to note here that when you’re actively listening, you are also using the different effective listening styles like empathic and objective listening or nonjudgmental and critical listening. Remember that listening is always situational and it depends on who you’re talking to, what the speaker is saying, and why you are in the conversation.
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This scene from the episode “Did I Stutter?” shows a good example of nonjudgmental and critical listening. Office employee Jim demonstrates good listening and response skills during a conversation that puts him under fire for his work performance.
Pam: Oh, hey, Molly. You should just quit.
Molly: Thanks. Okay.
Dwight: Oh and uh, Molly... I know it can’t be easy working for Jan. Good luck with your feelings.
Pam: Dwight, that was really nice. You should ask for her number.
Dwight: Oh, I got her number. 415-YCL.
Pam: That’s a license number?
Dwight: That’s all you need. And when I have curried favor with her, I will let you know.
Pam: Oh. Why me?
Dwight: Because you are my friend and you are a woman... And women love gossip. It’s like air to you people. Ugh, God. [retching]
Ryan: Alright, whatever you say. Uh, listen, while I have you here with Toby, I need to give you a formal warning about your job performance.
Jim: A formal warning... [chuckles]
Ryan: It's actually not a joke. I know how you spend your time here, and I know how little you care about your job. And honestly if you spent as much time selling as you do goofing around with Dwight and hanging out at reception, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
Jim: [stammers] I'm sorry, is, is this because I talked to Wallace about your website? Because I really didn't mean to go over your head.
Ryan: This is nothing to do with that, alright? I always appreciate constructive criticism about my job performance. I thrive on it.
Jim: I'm sorry, then do you mind explaining a little better? Cause I'm not sure what's really...
Ryan: Woah, don't get all defensive, alright? It's just a warning. If you want the details, Toby can provide them. You take it easy, alright?
Here are some key points that Jim did: he kept an open mind and asked for more details before making any presumptions. A good listener clarifies any confusion or problems instead of jumping into hasty statements. Remember that in nonjudgmental listening, you listen before making any judgments. And in critical listening you have to listen with an open mind to have a better understanding of the topic. These listening styles will be most effective when used in conversations concerning sensitive topics such as workplace drama or problems with friends.
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