Learning
Listening is an innate skill and one that occurs naturally for most people most of the time.
For someone with Asperger syndrome however, listening skills are less well developed. Perhaps more pertinently, they are selectively practised dependent on the subject under discussion.
A person with AS will tend to listen predominantly to what interests, and is regarded as relevant to, them. In a business context however, this is neither desirable nor feasible.
Effective listening for all information is essential in a business context. Identifying and retaining important data is a pre-requisite in order to operate efficiently as a manager.
This means listening to, and retaining, all information – including that which is of direct interest and also what is outside to what is related to individual areas of responsibility and operation.
There are however issues relating to Asperger which make listening fully and effectively to all information more difficult and problematic.
• Listening Predominantly to What is Only Relevant and of Interest Personally
When subject matter is of interest, and when deemed relevant to the Asperger mind, information will be very effectively received, coded and retained. When not, it may be largely ignored, disregarded or, at best, only coded superficially.
• Shorter Attention Span & Concentration Levels
For much of the time levels of concentration and attention are likely to be lower than with other people. For tasks deemed largely unimportant, or with subject matter outside of areas of interest, this may be especially exaggerated.
• Focus & Cognitive Distraction
There may be a tendency to drift mentally and to cognitively think about subject matter unconnected and unrelated with the topic under discussion. This loss of focus can cause important information to be passed over and missed.
• “Top Line” Listening Only
Any listening and information assimilation may be “top line” only. A concept or initial argument may be interpreted prematurely before fully explained or completed. This means that concepts and issues will not be fully or effectively understood and recorded.
As a result, someone with AS may withdraw mentally from a dialogue early in – for example – a meeting, having assumed that a subject is understood when it is not.
• Non-Verbal Communication
Non-verbal communication may be either absent or limited from both participating parties’ perspective.
For a person with Asperger, noticing and taking on board the body language and non-verbal communication demonstrated by the opposing person may be limited. This is because of natural restrictions in understanding such behaviour, and the need to concentrate cognitively on the discourse being delivered.
From the opposing person’s perspective, absence of such communication may indicate a lack of interest, concentration or willingness to try and understand.
The above can represent real barriers for a manager with AS and seriously hinder operational effectiveness.
They can however be significantly overcome. Doing so can deliver real benefits.