Listening in Organizations: A Synthesis and Future Agenda

Abstract

We conducted an integrative review of research on listening relevant to work and organizations, published from 2000 to 2021, and across three disciplines (management, psychology, and communication studies). We found that listening research is fragmented across three perspectives: (1) perceived listening, (2) listeners' experience, and (3) listening structures. We discuss how integrating these perspectives highlights two major tensions in listening research.First, there is a tension between speakers' perceptions and listeners' experience, which reveals a listening paradox -while listening is perceived to be beneficial for speakers, it can be experienced as costly and depleting for listeners. This paradox reveals why people struggle with listening when it is needed the most. Second, listening structures in organizations can create tensions between organizational goals and listeners' experiences. While organizations use listening structures to enable and signal listening, these efforts can impose greater costs on listeners, reinforce existing power structures, and create opportunities for unwanted surveillance.Managing these tensions provides fertile ground for future research, in part because recent advances in communication technologies are changing the dynamics and structure of listening in organizations.

Communicating for workplace connection: A longitudinal study of the outcomes of listening training on teachers' autonomy, psychological safety, and relational climate

“…Theoretical approaches to soft skills in the workplace suggest that teachers' ability to develop positive relationships depends largely on their capacity to listen well (Kluger & Itzchakov, 2022;Yip & Fisher, 2022).…”

“…Theoretical approaches to soft skills in the workplace suggest that teachers' ability to develop positive relationships depends largely on their capacity to listen well (Kluger & Itzchakov, 2022; Yip & Fisher, 2022). However, becoming a good listener requires extensive training (Itzchakov & Grau, 2020; Kluger & Itzchakov, 2022), as shown in studies on training programs in workplace environments (Itzchakov, 2020; Itzchakov et al, 2022; Rautalinko & Lisper, 2004).…”

Honest Behavior: Truth-Seeking, Belief-Speaking, and Fostering Understanding of the Truth in Others

“…Annals (e.g., Aguinis, Ramani, & Alabduljader, 2018;Kleshinski, Wilson, Stevenson-Street, & Scott, 2021;Lazar et al, 2020Lazar et al, , 2020Maddux, Lu, Affinito, & Galinsky, 2021;Maddux et al, 2021;Park, Park, & Barry, 2022;Yip & Fisher, 2022) and recommendations regarding best practices in conducting systematic reviews (Kooij, Kanfer, Betts, & Rudolph, 2018;Tranfield, Denyer, & Smart, 2003).…”

Voice is not enough

“…Listening to understand and support voicers. For any receiver to effectively support a voiced idea or concern, they must listen to understand the voicers' perspectives and provide social-emotional support (Yip & Fisher, 2022). Effective listening can be difficult for receivers who may not always understand whether a voiced idea is a request to be heard, a request for permission, or a request for support.…”

“…A shared understanding of the voicer's intent is needed for appropriate follow-on action to address underlying issues and to ensure a positive affective experience for the voicer to ensure they continue voicing in the future. Research on listener's experience suggests that, though there are many barriers to listening (e.g., cognitive load), being empathetic, engaging in mental exertion to focus on and interpret the message, being open, paraphrasing, and asking questions are directly or indirectly related to listening to understand (for a review, see Yip & Fisher, 2022). Similarly, socioemotional support via listening helps the voicer feel reassured, understood, confirmed, less anonymous, and more psychologically safe and engaged.…”