“Listening is at the source of all great leadership.” - Otto Scharmer, Four Levels of Listening.
For communication to be effective, participants must be genuinely invested in listening to what others have to say. Yet in most organizations, listening is treated as a passive activity rather than the leadership skill that it truly is. And that’s a missed opportunity, because intentional listening is at the heart of the kind of effective communication that fosters connection, fuels high performance, and drives meaningful collaboration.
Adrienne Shoch, a communication-focused leadership and team development expert and founder of 5 to 1 Consulting, LLC, emphasizes that when leaders and teams learn to listen deeply and communicate positively, they can transform relationships by fostering trust, which is a driving force behind sustainable high performance.
Science tells us that the nervous system has five times as many operating networks scanning for negativity (threats) as for positivity (rewards), which serves a valuable purpose in keeping us alive, but doesn't help us perform well at work. Learning how to offset this imbalance dramatically improves our ability to connect, perform well, and maintain healthy relationships. Businesses that want to achieve high performance and sustainable outcomes can train their teams on the Losada Ratio, which says that for communication to drive positive outcomes, a person should offer approximately 5.6 positive statements for every negative one. Schoch adds, “…your team must develop the nuanced communication techniques needed to get on the same page… and to be able to weather inevitable adversity.”
The Four Levels of Listening
Listening is at the heart of every meaningful conversation, but most of us don’t do a very good job at it. Often, what we call “listening” is simply filtering what we hear through our own assumptions and preconceptions. Otto Scharmer, who identified the Four Levels of Listening, estimates that as much as 90% of listening occurs only at the first level. Understanding the four levels can transform how we engage with others, deepen our relationships, and improve our ability to learn and lead.
- Listening by Downloading. This level of listening happens when we hear only what confirms what we already know. We filter new information through existing habits, assumptions, and judgments, essentially replaying past experiences rather than engaging with the present reality.
- Factual Listening. Factual listening involves an open mind and attention to what is actually different from our expectations. Instead of confirming existing beliefs, we notice disconfirming data and observe reality as it is, forming the basis for learning and innovation.
- Empathetic Listening. Empathetic listening requires an open heart and the ability to see a situation through another person’s eyes. At this level, we deeply connect with the other person’s experience and allow our listening to originate from their perspective rather than our own.
- Generative Listening. Generative listening goes beyond understanding the present moment to sensing emerging future possibilities. By letting go of old identities and assumptions, we connect with who we and others are becoming, which enables transformation and profound personal and collective change.
Different situations call for different types of listening, but the more we practice moving beyond surface-level hearing, the more we can engage deeply, respond thoughtfully, and create meaningful connections that foster growth, understanding, and collaboration.
This Holiday Season, Choose Connection
“Life is short, but love your loved ones. Love them, kiss them every day because you don't know what's going to happen.” -Angelina Pivarnick.
Those closest to us matter the most: our friends and family. During COVID, many people lost the habit of truly communicating with the people they love. Today, it’s increasingly common to see family members together, yet disconnected, each absorbed in phones, computers, or gaming consoles. The most effective way to change this starts with ourselves. We hate to admit it, but at a recent get-together, a friend gave us feedback about being on our phones too much. This holiday season and beyond, we are recommitting to being more present, putting our phones away, and choosing real connection over digital distraction.
We hope you will spend time with friends and family this season, while consciously reducing screen time and actively listening to each other. When we listen for understanding, show our support, and ask clarifying questions, we nurture relationships and create deeper connections that last well beyond the moment.
Warmly,
Lori & James
Lori Heffelfinger & James Jackman
Sources:
Otto Scharmer. Otto Scharmer on the four levels of listening. 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLfXpRkVZaI&t=4s. Accessed 12/10/2025.
Adrienne Shoch. 5 to 1 Consulting. https://5to1consulting.com/about-1. Accessed 12/10/2025.
