Welcome to module four, objective listening. Objective listening is focusing on what the speaker is saying without adding your personal agenda. So when you're listening think of the needs of the person you are listening to. Often, the speaker needs acknowledgement and invalidation. For example, these two ladies need that their faith and identity be respected and acknowledged. They live in the United States, where freedom of expression is the value and everyone is born equal conflict or advocacy.

I participated in the women's march in New York City advocating for women's rights, human rights and equal rights. This can be a controversial subject worldwide for many reasons, based on identity, differences between points of view your story versus the other story. The pictures capture these conversations. So I chose this picture that was in Washington DC, which was the main March. And then on the right, is a photo from New York City where she's actually marching to the saying, I can't believe I'm marching for facts. So that's her story, her point of view.

How can we change your misunderstandings or misperceptions to one of understanding without judgment? I'd start with what's called the Learning Commons. If you shift your point of view to support learning about one another, be curious, open minded and genuinely interested in the other person that you're communicating with. You share your stories, and understand your differences with mutual respect. If you're still at odds with one another, be open to problem solving and resolving the situation together. When it comes to office or world politics, religion, race or gender issues, that can cause misunderstandings, I'd recommend that you read difficult conversations, how to discuss what matters most written by members of the Harvard negotiation project, I do have a file for you with resources It includes books, YouTube videos, websites to visit podcasts, etc.

For more information. So again, I always like to wrap up with the summation about, you know what we're learning in very succinct and short form. So conversations concerning conflict or advocacy, what you have learned about objective listening. Again, I always like to give you a clue is that we listen with others in this type of conversation. It's not like subjective listening, where you're listening to others, or even speaking at one another. This one you're really listening with the people you're having a conversation with this second level of conversation.

Is around distrust versus trust, you want to get to that trust point in the conversation. It's an exchange of different points of view. The ability to express your feelings without fear of discrimination based on facts in your interpretation of reality, what I call the learning conversation. So the action step, which I'd like you to take, it could take five minutes, just like in the previous module. Just observe and be aware of objective listening when you're having a conversation with others, and respect their point of view. Our next section focuses on the third level of effective listening, intuitive listening