Let’s Create - Skills - Listening and Communicating
Listening and Communicating
Every artist talked about the importance of excellent listening and communication skills. I could have named this more broadly as ‘facilitation skills’, but there is something specific about the skills of deep listening and careful communication that is not captured in such a broad title.
These skills are connected to the qualities of being open and humble, which create an environment where deep listening skills can be utilised most effectively.
Quotes from the research
“In order to really listen, you have to not know what the outcome is.”
“There's a whole load of skills in terms of the way you capture and refine material. By the way you ask questions that are both open enough and not too open.”
“Something I do a lot is frame. So I provide frameworks for the work. And I make sure we're all in the same place. I might say, ‘Okay, so what we've just been talking about is this, and I think, from what you said, that we're interested in that do you agree? Yes. Okay. Could everyone just get into pairs and have a chat about it?’”
“So mirroring, validating and reflecting back creative ideas.”
Listen to the Podcast
with Dan Thompson
Dan Thompson is a writer and artist, making work with ordinary people, about everyday life, and in overlooked places. His work starts by asking people to help him explore a place, and what he makes is guided by that process. His career started in theatre, and he now makes festivals, exhibitions, books, and posters.
