EXERCISE 2
Analyze why (purposes) and how well you communicate with specific individuals
and how you can improve.
Phatic (Binding) Communication
Name ten individuals with whom you experience productive phatic communication:
NAME RELATIONSHIP WHY
Effective Listening
In the "Why" column, briefly, indicate why you believe you experience productive phatic
communication with each of the foregoing individuals.
Name ten individuals with whom you should, but do not experience productive phatic
communication.
Name Relationship Why Not
In the "Why Not" column, briefly identify why you believe you do not experience productive
phatic communication with each of the foregoing individuals.
In each case, what can you do specifically to improve the existing or desired phatic
communication?
Cathartic (Venting) Communication
Name ten individuals who serve your cathartic needs.
Name Relationship
Generally speaking, how important is their listening to your catharsis and what are their
observable characteristics?
Name ten individuals who should, but do not serve your cathartic needs.
Name Relationship
Effective Listening
In your opinion, why do these individuals not serve your cathartic needs? What are their
observable characteristics? What is the impact of this cathartic neglect?
Name ten individuals whose cathartic communication needs you serve as a listener.
Name Relationship
Why?
What is the impact?
Name ten individuals whom you can serve better as a cathartic listener.
Name Relationship
How? Outline your strategy on paper.
Informational Communication
Name ten key individuals whom you communicate with for informational purposes.
Name Relationship
Outline three ways that your informational listening could be improved with each individual.
Name ten individuals that you should, but do not, communicate with well for informational
purposes.
Name Relationship
Why not?
Specifically, what can you do to enhance your listening for information with each individual?
Persuasive Communication
Name ten key individuals that you communicate with well for purposes of persuasion.
Name Relationship
Outline three ways that your listening to persuasion could be improved with each individual.
Name ten key individuals that you should, but do not communicate with well for persuasion
purposes.
Name Relationship
Why not?
Effective Listening
Specifically, what can you do to enhance your listening for persuasion with each individual?
For maximum value, the foregoing set of exercises should be repeated every three to four months.
EXERCISE 3
The SIER model can be utilized in a past tense (diagnostic), or present tense (application), or
a future tense (planning) mode. At each level, consider the following:
Past Tense (Diagnostic)
1. Sensing:
A. Identify and outline a significant past tense breakdown of communication that started
at the sensing level.
B. What caused the sensing problem?
C. How could the sensing failure have been avoided?
D. How did the sensing failure affect the ensuing 1, E, and R levels of communication?
2. Interpretation:
A. Identify and outline a significant past tense breakdown of communication that started
at the interpretation level.
B. What caused the interpretation problem?
C. How could the interpretation failure have been avoided?
D. How did the interpretation failure affect the ensuing
E and R levels of communication?
3. Evaluation:
A. Identify and outline a significant past tense breakdown of communication that started at
the evaluation level.
B. What caused the evaluation failure?
C. How could the evaluation failure have been avoided?
D. How did the evaluation failure affect the ensuing R (and possibly S and 1)
levels of communication?
4. Responding:
A. Identify and outline a significant past tense breakdown of communication that started
at the responding level.
B. What caused the responding failure?
C. How could the responding failure have been avoided?
D. How did the responding failure affect the ensuing S, 1, E, and R levels of communication?
Present Tense (Application)
In critical concrete present tense listening situations, identify
and outline how you can specifically enhance your:
1. Sensing success
2. Interpreting success
3. Evaluating success
4. Responding success
Future Tense (Planning)
In significant and specific future tense listening situations, outline a concrete plan to
ensure your:
1. Sensing success
2. Interpreting success
3. Evaluating success
4. Responding success
(Following Steil, L., Barker, L., & Watson, K. (1983). Effective Listening:
Key to Your Success. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, pp. 133-142)