In this activity, you’ll practice active listening by using storytelling. Ask your mentee to share a meaningful story or experience. Your role is to listen carefully without
interrupting. After they finish, reflect back the main themes, emotions, or perspectives they shared to show you understand and value their experience.
Story Reflection for Active Listening
- Active Listening, Communication Skills, Storytelling
Introduction
Process
- Invite the Mentee to Share: Ask your mentee to tell a story about something meaningful to them—like a recent achievement, a challenge, or a moment they
enjoyed. Encourage them to speak freely without focusing on specific details. - Practice Deep Listening: Listen carefully to their story, paying attention to key points, emotions, and body language. The goal is to listen without planning your response, focusing only on what they’re saying.
- Reflect Back Key Themes: After the story, reflect the main points and emotions you noticed. You can say things like:
“It sounds like that made you feel…”
“I noticed you felt really proud/excited/frustrated about…”
“What I’m hearing is that this experience meant a lot because…” - Encourage Further Exploration: Ask an open-ended question to help them reflect more, such as:4.
“What did you learn from that?”
“How did that make you feel afterward?”
Outcome
This activity helps you understand and validate your mentee’s perspective. It teaches you to listen deeply, making your mentee feel heard and confident as they share their experiences.
Please Share:
