1. Retail Management Relevant Artifact
I have included the artifact titled Top Listening Style because it showcases my knowledge of
how I listen to others and process the information. It indicates that I am aware of my strengths
and weaknesses and willing to use this information to make adjustments and improve my skill
set. This artifact is relevant to my future plans because it is essential to communicate well when
in a management position, whether it be communicating with employees, clients, upper
management or vendors. Good communication is key.
Top Listening Style
My top listening style is Task-Oriented Listening. My score was a 30.
The strength of being a task-oriented listener is I am most concerned with completing the
task in the most efficient manner. In a fast paced atmosphere, I can help keep the focus on the
task and keep things moving forward in an efficient manner. An example of this is a meeting I
was recently a part of. It was a scheduling meeting. We were meeting with the installation team
to plan and coordinate the workload for the following week. The team became side tracked by
discussing how we could make the calendar more effective. I became very impatient as I had a
lot of work to complete. I simply stated to the team that we were off track and another meeting
could be scheduled to discuss the off track topic. By being concerned with the task at hand the
team focused on why we were there. We are all extremely busy and it is important to work
efficiently.

2. The weakness of being a task-oriented listener is impatience. If the listener becomes
impatient it can strain relationships because task-oriented listeners tend not to be empathetic.
Task-oriented listeners also risk the chance of becoming aggressive. If the listener is overly
concerned with time, they may not give the attention to the discussion topic that is needed. I
often find in meetings, that if the meeting or speaker does not get to the point in a timely manner,
I start watching the time. It sometimes adds to the stress of the job, because I become impatient. I
have also been caught off guard. I was watching the time and not listening as closely as I should
have, when I was asked a question that I did not hear in its entirety.
There are a few things I can do to improve my listening skills. I need to learn to be a little
more patient. I need to keep in mind that people have different speaking styles which I need to
learn to adapt to and be patient with the speaker. A co-worker is very social and likes to chat
about her weekend during our Monday morning meetings. It is important to be patient and enjoy
the camaraderie. I need to accept that meetings will go of topic and it is ok. I need to focus on
what is being said, because whether on topic or off, there could be some very useful information.
I can do this by maintaining eye contact with the speaker. I can also actively participate in the
discussion when applicable. Being interactive will help to focus on the topic rather the on the
clock.
https://youtu.be/BwFOwyoH-3g