TED Talks Daily How to be a great listener | Maegan Stephens, Nicole Lowenbraun
237 snips
Feb 19, 2026 
Maegan Stephens, communication expert and co-author of About Listening, studies how leaders and teams listen at work. She explains four distinct listening styles and why flexible listening beats one-size-fits-all approaches. Short, practical breakdowns show when to evaluate, absorb, validate, or move things forward. A single question helps you choose the right response.
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Writing Retreat Snap
- Maegan recounts snapping at Nicole during a writing retreat when deadlines and low snacks caused tension.
- The story shows how well-intentioned listening can miss the speaker's real need.
Listening Should Be Adaptive
- Great listeners adapt their response style to meet the speaker's goal in the moment.
- Adaptive listening builds trust and speeds better outcomes at work.
Four Goals Simplify Listening
- Work conversations always have goals, and adaptive listening reduces those goals to four categories.
- This simplification makes it practical to choose how to listen in busy work settings.