Welcome to the Listening Hour!
There is no better time to listen to our stories.
A Listening Hour consists of one or more meetings, in which a small group shares personal stories under the direction of a guide.
The group may be drawn from an organization or the general community.
A new mindset that releases energy
The Listening Hour is about stories. It is about:
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our personal experiences,
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(seemingly) small things and big,
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the past and the present.
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the image as well as the word
It champions tacit knowledge, the often unrecognized wisdom that comes from everyday experience, as well as dialogue that expresses itself through the stories
The numbers are small enough so that everyone has space to speak.
The meeting is short enough so that no one loses attention.
Listening Hour Outcomes
It seems so simple, yet the result is profound
Connection
Short and simple as it is, the Listening Hour builds a powerful sense of connection that can help isolated individuals and team coherence.
Reduced tension
The Listening Hour provides a pause in our a fast and solution-focused way of doing business and living life. It provides a moment to breathe, listen to your inner voice, and find new inspiration.
Insight and vision
Although stories offer their message indirectly, they contain the wisdom of experience and can open new vistas of understanding.
Increased resilience
The positive feeling that comes from sharing and listening to our stories can build new resilience and strength to face the uncertainties of the future.
Target Audience
Who will benefit from the Listening Hour
Organizational staff
The Listening Hour gives space for an essential form of human connection--narrative communication. It provides structured conversations that help keep your working staff together and open channels of creativity. It is a form of insurance against disconnected staff groups, especially when individuals are working from home.
Students
The Listening Hour can provide a chance for students to integrate their personal and academic life, develop coping skills, and minimize dangers from alienation.
Elderly persons isolated at home
The Listening Hour can be a high point in a day spent alone and without excitement. It can bring good cheer and liveliness.
Communities recovering from a disaster
The Listening Hour is proving useful in helping people cope with civil or natural upheaval, such as pandemic illness, war, or an earthquake.
Chose the format that works for you
We are happy to assist you
Live
The Listening Hour takes place in small groups in pleasant settings either onsite or at a retreat location.
One-time session
A chance for a different kind of experience, both refreshing and enlightening. Can be part of development day.
Online
The Listening Hour is very suitable for online meetings and has been an effective medium of connection during the Covid pandemic with people sheltering at home.
Session series
Three to seven meetings with the same group, allowing participants to become familiar with the rhythm and culture of the Listening Hour and allow it to influence their daily creatively.
Custom Design
We can help you design a Listening Hour intervention tailor-made to your needs, no matter what the size of your organization or community.
Key operating concepts
Story
These days when we talk about stories, we are usually talking about a newspaper story, or a literary short story. But here we mean something different—a true story that comes from our own experience. Why? Personal stories have value. We remember moments that are meaningful to us, whether they are about hard times or good. If we can be open to what comes up for us to share in the moment, sometimes we are really surprised in a positive way, and what we have to say is often interesting and memorable for others as well. Our stories hold wisdom and sharing them can build resilience in difficult times.
Emergence
Key to the Listening Hour process is the principle of emergence. A story that comes unplanned brings creative possibility and adds to a deep dialog of connected narratives that may be addressing indirectly themes of common concern and interest to the group.
Atmosphere
In order for individuals to feel comfortable and spontaneous, they need to feel at their ease. In the Listening Hour, a good atmosphere is essential.
Inclusion
A story vital to the community can come from anyone at any time. So it is important that each participant feel free to speak and be heard.
Guidance
The Listening Hour is facilitated by a trained guide who sets out the parameters and maintains the flow. The guide can be provided by us or we can train and supervise guides from within your organization.
Ethics
There is an ethical element to LH. Stories reveal the identity, of groups as well as individuals, and these stories can be private and sensitive. The Listening Hour must be committed to respect persons and their dignity.
What the Listening Hour is *Not*
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A problem-solving tool, except that it can pave the way for new solutions;
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Brainstorming, although it creates a climate of creativity;
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A place for discussion and analysis, but the stories shared can lead to a better climate collaboration;
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Training, although participants will absorb a new way to listen;
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Therapy, although it may reduce anxiety and stress.
