Can holding a stick improve listening at work? The effect of Listening Circles on employees’ emotions and cognitions
Abstract
The Listening Circle is a method for improving listening in organizations. It involves people sitting in a circle where only one talks at a time. Talking turns are signaled by a talking object. Although there are several reports regarding the effectiveness of the Listening Circle, most are based on case studies, or confounded with another intervention, and do not use theory to predict the listening-induced outcomes. We predicted that perceiving good listening decreases employees’ social anxiety, which allows them to engage in deeper introspection, as reflected by increased self-awareness. This increased self-awareness enables an acknowledgment of the pros and cons of various work-related attitudes and can lead to attitudes that are objectively more ambivalent and less extreme. Further, we hypothesized that experiencing good listening will enable speakers to accept their contradictions without the evaluative conflict usually associated with it (subjective-attitude ambivalence). In three quasi-experiments (Ns = 31, 66 and 83), we compared the effects of a Listening Circle workshop to a self-enhancement workshop (Studies 1 and 2), to a conflict management workshop (Study 2) and to employees who did not receive any training (Study 3), and found consistent support for the hypotheses. Our results suggest that the Listening Circle is an effective intervention that can benefit organizations.
Executive function deficits mediate the relationship between employees’ ADHD and job burnout
Yaara Turjeman-Levi, Guy Itzchakov and Batya Engel-Yeger
Organizational Behavior and Social Psychology
Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often face significant
deficits in executive function and adverse work-related outcomes. This study aimed to explore the
role of executive function deficits in job burnout of employees with ADHD. We hypothesized that
employees with ADHD, relative to employees without ADHD, will experience higher levels of job
burnout and deficits in executive function. We also hypothesized that the ADHD-job burnout
relationship would be mediated through executive function deficits, specifically by selfmanagement to time and self-organization/problem-solving. A field study with 171 employees
provided support for the research hypotheses and mediation model in which the employees’
ADHD-job burnout relationship was mediated through executive function deficits. Additional
mediation analyses indicated that the specific executive function of self-management to time and
self-organization/problem-solving mediated the effect of ADHD on job burnout and its facets.
Specifically, for physical fatigue, the mediation was realized through self-management to time,
and for emotional exhaustion and cognitive weariness, the mediation was significant through selforganization/problem-solving. The present findings shed light on the relevance of referring ADHD
among employees, their vulnerability to job burnout, and the role of executive function deficits in
job burnout of employees with ADHD.
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Social-based learning and leadership in school: conflict management training for holistic, relational conflict resolution
Eli Vinokur, Avinoam Yomtovian, Marva Shalev Marom, Guy Itzchakov and Liat Baron
Listening
Navigating conflicts is crucial for promoting positive relationships between
pupils, teachers, and parents. The objective of this paper is to present Social-
Based Learning and Leadership (SBL), an innovative approach to group dynamics
and conflict resolution within the school setting, aiming to foster meaningful
relationships and personal and social growth. The methods of SBL focus on
group evolution by navigating conflicts rooted in higher needs while balancing
the interplay of separation and connection. It proactively embeds prosocial
values and conduct into the school culture, with teachers prioritizing the
wellbeing of others, fostering shared problem-solving, and positive feedback
amid conflicts. Teachers acquire tools to transform the classroom into a “social
laboratory” and constructmeaningful partnerships with parents. Practical conflict
management within the SBL framework involves dynamic group discussions,
shifting fromother blaming to accountability, and reflective group introspection.
Experiential learning through crafted case studies and role-plays enhances
students’ conflict management skills by fostering perspective-taking and
inclusiveness.We conducted a qualitative case study in an SBL training in a school
from 2020 to 2023. These conflict management processes allow the school
community to reimagine conflict as an invaluable educational opportunity,
equipping pupils with essential soft skills for navigating the challenges of the
21st century.
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