Agora: Red Deer Polytechnic Undergraduate Journal
Volume 14:1 2023 Agora Conference Proceedings

The Science of Listening: How Listening Circles Make Us
Human and Why This is Important
Chris Charchun
The article “The Listening Circle: A Simple Tool to Enhance Listening and Reduce
Extremism Among Employees” by Guy Itzchakov and Avraham Kluger (2017) goes into an indepth analysis of how the effort of listening to someone can make a difference when listening is
done right, specifically in the workplace. In its most basic terminology, the authors define listening
as a combination of subtle interpersonal methods that are exercised to establish healthy
communication between both parties. The authors discovered numerous variables that can occur
between people in one simple conversation. Part of the author's study into listening circles found
three behaviours the speaker unintentionally gathers from the listener: Attention, Comprehension,
and Intention. Successful listening under these three behaviours proves beneficial, as the authors
explain that the nuances of proper communication allow the speaker to gauge the validity of the
conversation. This includes a greater understanding of the other, self-awareness of the
conversation, and an emotional attachment to the current conversation, all of which can invite the
speaker to create a more interesting and insightful dialogue that influences a positive experience
in "Increasing personal growth... job satisfaction, relational satisfaction, and better mood"
(Itzchakov & Kluger, 2017, p. 2).
The authors stress that for managers to really know they are listening to their employees,
they need to be able to look past themselves and their habit of speaking first before listening. To
master this, employers must “develop an attitude, avoid distractions, look for non-verbal cues, ask
questions, control the need to judge and evaluate, and to empathize with your employee” to
empower the validity of the employee and legitimize the employer's reputation as the manager of
the establishment (Itzchakov & Kluger, 2017, pp. 3-4). This procedure is emphasized through the
use of listening circles. This ancient tradition brings people together to solve problems in a
collective group and develop, improve and hone an individual's listening skills. According to
Itzchakov and Kluger (2017), the foundation of a listening circle is built on the intention of
speaking in relevance to the conversation, being attentive to respect all members of the group, and
the integrity of the circle through respecting what others have to say while avoiding expressing
negativity towards the act of participating and those involved. Itzchakov's and Kluger's study

looked into the usefulness of listening circles and discovered that employees' listening and
retention skills improved from the experience.
Although a delicate balance must occur, everyone involved needs to share a unified goal
toward understanding one another without fear of speaking their mind or instigating false
camaraderie between participants. To achieve this, the authors claim that a successful listening
circle requires discussion without judgment or coercion, the capability to take turns without taking
too long on any person, and a safe atmosphere so nobody develops doubt, concern or any adverse
outcome from the experience (Itzchakov & Kluger, 2017, p. 7). Strong listening skills are essential
in a workplace, considering an employee's reputation is influenced by their actions. Whether being
able to listen to what your employer or a customer says, or whether it's a work or casual setting,
listening prevents creating a series of unforeseen mistakes and complications that ropes everyone
involved in the misunderstanding. This embarrassing display demonstrates to their social circle
just how ineffective they were in attending to their needs and further damaging the trust between
them.
Suppose someone were to read through Itzchakov & Kluger's study on effective listening
through listening circles. In that case, they might discover the unique interpretation the authors
recognized in the concept of cautious optimism. Their findings demonstrate that listening circles
have the potential to be a driving force in the relations between a manager and their employees but
also a gamble for those involved when the authenticity of its resourcefulness comes down to
whether the dignity of a listening circle is respected. Failure to respect the principle that underlies
them will further separate those involved. However, a different study finds there is more than one
method to get people to participate in a listening circle, where its legitimacy can still fulfill its role
even if its normal practice varies from humble empathy to a more blunt, unapologetic sense of
humour. Reverend Carmen Llanos Acero (2022) designed a special mental health program in
restorative justice for working staff during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, known as
“Swearing Circles” (p. 2). Acero explains that these listening circles encourage participants to vent
their anger and frustrations however they feel they should, from swearing about them to potentially
screaming, within a controlled environment. Allowing participants to let their negative emotions
speak without a filter can release the built-up stress and tension from the day in the circle and move
on without any further issues afterwards (Acero, 2022).

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Listening is vital for every human to flourish and maintain the status quo on appropriate
behaviour towards other people. Listening circles, for how old such a tradition is, can reveal
problems people might intentionally hide from their peers and solve them together without hurting
anyone in the future. With all the interpersonal nuances people pick up or share with others daily,
it can be easy to forget the importance of pausing and taking in what the other person is really
saying. Sometimes all people need is either a moment to be understood or a moment to be heard,
whether they want to be graceful about it or shout it from the top of their lungs. These circles
represent the human desire to feel connected in a world that often disconnects us. Even if your
employer consciously chooses to speak their mind before listening to yours or attempts to shame
you about sitting in a circle to talk about your feelings, the circle empowers people far greater than
letting someone be affected by how another decides they're better than to expose their
vulnerabilities to the world.

References
Acero, C. L. (2022). Swearing circles: A proposal for dealing with stressful events, because $#!+
happens. The Canadian Journal of Theology, Mental Health and Disability, 2(1), 39-47.
https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/38306/29206
Itzchakov, G., & Kluger, A. N. (2017). The listening circle: A simple tool to enhance listening
and reduce extremism among employees. Organizational Dynamics, 46(4), 220-226.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.05.005

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