The 5 to 1 Listening Lab
Virtual or In-Person, Short Form or Series-based
The 5 to 1 Listening Lab is an immersive, experiential learning experience that helps leaders and teams strengthen the quality of their conversations through the practice of deep, intentional listening.
In a world where communication is constant but connection is scarce, this lab creates the conditions for awareness, authenticity, and trust to emerge — one conversation at a time.
Participants experience listening not as a passive act, but as a powerful experience that shapes attention, builds connection, and transforms relationships. Through structure, dialogue, interactive exercises, and guided reflection, you will learn to recognize how presence and attention influence listen deeply and foster collaboration, and creativity.
Purpose
This experience helps leaders and teams:
Understand the difference between hearing and listening — and the impact of each on leadership and culture.
Build self-awareness around personal listening habits and blind spots.
Strengthen the capacity to listen at deeper levels — from factual to empathic to generative.
Develop behaviors that foster psychological safety, trust, and inclusion in conversations.
Experience how listening improves team cohesion, decision-making, and overall performance.
Structure
This offering can be designed as:
A 90-minute virtual session or half-day in-person workshop
A learning series combining practice, reflection, and feedback
A team development lab embedded into existing leadership programs
Each session includes:
Welcome & Introductions — Building rapport and connection through an icebreaker: 8 Things in Common
Polls & Reflections — Checking in on mindset and self-perceived listening skill
Authenticity & Intimacy Exercise — A rotating concentric circle process using eight reflection questions to deepen understanding and connection
Listening Levels Framework — Exploring the Four Levels of Listening (Downloading, Factual, Empathic, Generative)
Breakout Practices —
Listening to Know Each Other
Listening for Awareness
Listening for Connection and Possibility
Reflection & Group Discussion — Sharing insights, noticing shifts, and discussing how listening influences communication behaviors
Intended Outcomes
Leaders and teams who engage in this lab will:
Recognize how their attention shapes impact and outcomes.
Learn to listen with awareness, empathy, and intention.
Strengthen communication and collaboration across functions and roles.
Develop a shared language for listening and feedback.
Leave with practical tools and techniques to immediately improve conversational effectiveness.
Why This Matters
The quality of our listening determines the quality of our relationships, decisions, and results. When organizations invest in listening, they create environments where people feel seen, heard, and valued — leading to stronger connection, innovation, and trust.
The 5 to 1 Listening Lab makes listening visible, tangible, and transformational — turning awareness into action and conversations into catalysts for change.