Available only online, the Listening Facilitator's Report is a low-cost, easy-to-understand resource for managers, supervisors, coaches, and anyone who uses the Online Personal Listening Profile® to help groups communicate more effectively.

In addition to including group summary data and facilitation communication information, the Personal Listening Profile Facilitator Report includes Listening Orientation information.

This section includes a table with the percentage of individuals assigned to each of the 15 orientations (i.e., Listening Styles). We use a variety of different approaches depending on the situation, but we tend to use some approaches more than others. What that means is that we have a natural Listening Style that is comprised of one or more Listening Approaches. Ten of these 15 orientations are the result of a combination of two approaches and five of the orientations reflect only one approach.

When a facilitator understands that there are ten orientations that use a combination of two listening approaches, they will have a better understanding of their participants' listening approach in these key areas:

Learning—(Discerning and Comprehensive)

• Purpose of listening is to gather and understand information
• Focuses on facts and details
• Prefers speakers who minimizes distractions and articulate the rationale of their argument
• Identifies the core issues and the relationship between them
• Demonstrates diligent concentration and asks thoughtful questions that go beyond the surface

Goal-Discerning and Evaluative)

• Purpose of listening is to gather and evaluate information to make an informed and accurate decision
• Focuses on details
• Prefers speakers who make strong arguments and are factual
• Aware of the strategies that a speaker is using to persuade
• Expresses a thoughtful skepticism and picks up on small inconsistencies in an idea

Receptive-(Discerning and Appreciative)

• Purpose of listening is to gather information and enjoy a relationship
• Focuses on details and the general tone of the conversation
• Prefers speakers who minimize distractions and enjoy presenting
  Attentive to details and aware of conversational cues
• Takes notes and ask questions to verify accuracy

Engaged-(Discerning and Empathic)

• Purpose of listening is to take factual and emotional information
• Focuses on understanding the speaker’s feelings and supporting them
• Prefers speakers who allow them time to process information
• Recognizes the important feelings that lie beneath the surface message
• Sets aside personal opinions and interests to become absorbed in the experience of another person

Analytical-(Comprehensive and Evaluative)

• Purpose of listening is to understand, organize, and evaluate information
• Focuses on the relationship between core ideas
• Prefers speakers who present information in a logical, reasoned manner
• Understands what people mean even if they are not explicit and picks up on flaws in a person’s rationale
• Demonstrates a systematic, scientific reasoning process

Creative-(Comprehensive and Appreciative)

• Purpose of listening is to explore ideas in a colorful and imaginative way
• Focuses on the relationship among ideas and enjoying a relationship
• Prefers speakers who create lighthearted environments and use humor
• Recognizes when a person says one thing and means another
• Relates the information to personal experience

Insight-(Comprehensive and Empathic)

• Purpose of listening is to find the relationship among ideas and build upon those insights
• Focuses on the emotions the speaker expresses and understanding the feelings of the speaker
• Prefers speakers who are open to collaboration and elaboration on ideas
• Recognizes the core of the message being communicated, even if it isn’t directly expressed
• Asks open-ended questions or makes comments to help others express themselves and their ideas

Personal-(Evaluative and Empathic)

• Purpose of listening is to relate to the experience of the other person and prepare for the expression of their own ideas and opinions
• Focuses on facts that support a main message
• Prefers speakers who are accurate and unafraid to share their feelings
• Compares incoming information to their own experience
• Demonstrates a rare combination of skepticism and compassion

Astute-(Evaluative and Appreciative)

• Purpose of listening is to assess the accuracy of the information and enjoy the company of another
• Focuses on seeing things from a unique angle and picking up the unspoken motives of the speaker
• Prefers speakers who deliver well-organized, clever, and engaging presentation
• Separates fact from emotion and can detect hidden motives
• Often enjoys witty and satirical humor

Relational-(Empathic and Appreciative)

• Purpose of listening is to strengthen relationships
• Focuses on the speaker’s feelings
• Prefers speakers who make them feel good about themselves
• Recognizes what speakers want to say even before they do
• Tries to help the speakers express themselves and their ideas