1. Have you ever felt ignored by someone who claimed or even appeared to be listening but really was not? Have you ever been accused of not listening? Describe your experiences.
2. Practice mindful listening this week. Choose one or two situations in which the message is important to you or when someone you care about is speaking about something that matters to him or her. Remember to make sure you have enough time for the exchange, focus on the speaker, try to listen from their point of view rather than your own, and be creative in your use of reflective language (paraphrasing.) What was the result?
3. Review the ineffective listening habits of pseudolistening, stage-hogging, selective listening, insulated listening, defensive listening, ambushing, and insensitive listening in your text. Note any communication situations in which you were engaged this week in which either you or the person you were speaking with exhibited one or more of these behaviors. What was the outcome?