People-Oriented Listener

People-Oriented Listener
I would be a People-Oriented listener. To begin with, Kathy knows that am her friend. As such, she knows how we often share problems and the same strategy that we have been employing since the old days, is the same strategy that I will employ now. A people –oriented listener is one who has the ability to deploy great patience when listening to someone. Patience because a lot of focus is needed to understand what the speaker is saying while at the same time, processing their emotions. This readies the speaker to give sufficient feedback which should be an honest opinion but packaged in a way that will not further their suffering. The speaker in this case need to know that the listener is paying close attention and will not hold back what he/she has to say.
With the above knowledge of a people-oriented speaker, I will be keen with whatever Kathy is saying and at the same time offer my opinion. I will encourage her to talk by showing that am genuinely concerned and also respond to her illustrations and humor if any. I will make her feel that am there should she need any help. Further Kathy needs to absorb the news about her fate and come to terms with it. With a people-oriented listener like I am, she will be in a position to cross over the phase and focus on the next useful thing in her life. This will give her a feel of reality and also help her focus her energy on something better rather than wallow in self-pity. To show that am really concerned about her next steps, I will ask her if she minds being assisted to scout for further opportunities.