In thinking about Scott Adams discussion of active listening, I wanted to apply it to table topics.

How often do we, as Table Topics Masters, ask a question, and not care about the answer?  I think it is most of the time.  I know I have been guilty of it.  Revelling in the genius of my questions, rather than caring about the answer.

I think we could make a huge difference in the quality of table topics if we first and foremost care about the answer we receive.  When we care about that answer, we will ask a different question.  Illiciting a story that engages the audience should be the goal.

Think about this the next time you are Table Topics Master and let me know how it goes.

Excellent post from Scott Adams today that talks about active listening:

Prior to the Dale Carnegie course I believed that conversation was a process by which I could demonstrate my cleverness, complain about what was bugging me, and argue with people in order to teach them how dumb they were. To me, listening was the same thing as being bored.  I figured it was the other person’s responsibility to find some entertainment in the conversation. That wasn’t my job. Yes, I was that asshole. But I didn’t know it. The good news is that once I learned the rules of conversation, I was socially reborn. It turns out that active listening is more fun than talking, although sometimes you need to guide the conversation toward common interests.

Where else can you learn about and practice active listening than at Toastmasters?

Update:

Scott has an additional post on active listening.  I find it useful to think of it this way.  If you talk, you only learn what you are saying.  If you listen, you learn what someone else is saying.

Inspired by Liza, who posted her experience here:

http://toastmaster-liza.blogspot.com/2010/05/welcome-to-my-toastmasters-blog.html

If you have posted your Toastmasters contest experience on your blog, please post a link in the comments.