Listen with the ears and heart open

“Who is important? And who should I listen?”

These two main questions came up in my mind when I reflected on the circumstances of my research project. After receiving feedback about the survey questionnaire, I wonder if I forgot to listen to my client. I might forget to put my client needs and wants to achieve as my priority. Or I only listened to what I want to accomplish as a student, learner and development practitioner. 

My intention might come from my curiosity in integrating my knowledge from university, coaching and previous experience. The purpose of integrating these knowledges into the research was to bridge “a gap” that I thought it is a top-down approach between funder and the grassroots level. Maybe this mindset came from my experience while I was working in community development projects back home. Or experience from university, a concept of Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) and a power imbalance between funders and beneficiaries. PLA concept is focusing on empowering marginalize people and listening to their voice (Chambers 2007). Also, many resources refer to how donor might affect the paradigm of development work. How the global north influences the global south’s culture, language, education, politic and social. Therefore, I thought that I have a good intention to breakthrough these perceptions and experiment these knowledges into practice before I finish my degree in Australia. However, it seems like I might have an excellent intension to fill the gap, but it is not applicable for my client’s needs. 

“To see the world the way they see the world” and “Listening with the intent to understand“(Covey 2003, p. 240).

From this self-reflection, I have learned that I did not ‘seek first to understand’ my client’s need. Even if I thought I did. I might not listen with entirely ears and heart-opening to hear what my client’s need. And I might listen with an expectation of my intention. Therefore, as a development practitioner, empathic listening is crucial because I might collaborate with different stakeholders which are communities, government, international organizations and funders. Developing an empathic listening will assist me ‘To see the world the way they see the world’ and ‘Listening with the intent to understand’(Covey 2003, p. 240). The intention of understanding my stakeholders is to know how they feel. 

References:

Chambers, R 2007, ‘From PRA to PLA and Pluralism: Practice and Theory’, IDS Working Paper 286 Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK.

Covey, SR 2003, The 7 habits of highly effective people : personal workbook, Seven habits of highly effective people : personal workbook, Simon & Schuster, New York