Four personas of Listening

Listening is a little like driving, in that most of us think we are better at it than we actually are.

In teaching and mentoring people around listening, I've seen that there are some common listening personalities:

⏰Level 1: Two personalities here, the Multitasker, too busy to give you full attention, or the Wait Master, in the queue waiting to have their say.
🔧Level 2: The Fixer. Give me the details and I'll solve the issue for you.
❤️Level 3: The Empath. They're with you. They nod, they encourage, maybe ask a question or two.
🐶Level 4: The Captive. They are so into you that they don't want to blink and miss time with you.

The way I see these personas, Level 1 & 4 folk aren't all that aware of listening, Level 2 Fixers often think that they are great listeners, and Level 3 Empaths are not aware of how good a listener they are.

Depending on the context, you probably find yourself in each one of these types over the course of a day. You also don't need to be an Empath to help someone find the train station.

Yet Empath Listeners are the people you love to be around. They have profound impact on others and are the great coaches, parents and leaders in our lives.

Where do you live, as a listener, most of the time?