Selective Hearing
Selective Hearing is a structured listening technique in which each listener is given one lens, why, how or what, and during a presentation writes down only the statements that belong to that lens. The exercise is published by the facilitation agency Mischief Makers, where it follows a group presentation about the organisation and feeds a shared vision statement. The three lenses are the same levels used in the Golden Circle model, and the sorted notes are condensed by three sub-groups into short statements.
Facilitation script
- 1
Explain the three lenses with an example for each and assign one lens to every listener.
2 min - 2
Presentation runs. Listeners capture one comment per sticky note within their lens.
5 min - 3
Collect the notes on the three flip charts in the order why, how, what.
4 min - 4
Three groups, one per chart, condense their notes into a statement of at most 140 characters with three emojis.
5 min - 5
Groups read their statements in sequence and the facilitator records them together as input for the next step.
3 min
Tips
Explain the three lenses with one example each before the presentation starts, otherwise half the notes end up on the wrong chart.
Give the 'why' lens to your most attentive listeners, because purpose statements are rare and easy to miss.
Ask for the speaker's actual words on the notes, not interpretations.
The character limit matters more than the emojis: it forces each group to choose, and that choice is the result.
Common pitfalls
Assigning the lenses without examples, so listeners disagree on what counts as 'how' versus 'what' and the charts overlap
Listeners writing their own opinions instead of what was said, which turns a harvest of the presentation into a second brainstorm
Handing all three lenses to everyone to be thorough, which removes the focus that makes the technique work and yields three thin, duplicated sets of notes
Treating the three short statements as the finished vision, which leads to a slogan that nobody has properly discussed or agreed
Too few people on the 'why' lens when the presentation is rich in purpose statements, so that the most important chart is the emptiest
Variations
Standalone use: apply the three lenses to any report-back, customer interview recording or leadership talk, not only to a vision exercise. Other lenses: replace why, how and what with pairs or triples that suit the goal, such as facts, feelings and requests, or risks, opportunities and open questions. Several presentations: keep the same lens for each listener across all presentations and collect at the end. Remote: listeners post notes into three columns of a shared board while the presentation runs, and the three groups work in breakout rooms.
Where it fits
When to use it
Sub-groups are about to present collages, posters or prototypes and the audience would otherwise listen passively
A team needs to draft a vision, purpose or positioning statement and you want it built from what people actually said
Presentations in the workshop tend to blur purpose, method and deliverables, and you want them separated
You want to end a report-back round with a compact result instead of a wall of loose notes
A group needs practice in listening for one thing at a time before interview or research work
When not to use it
There is no presentation or shared input to listen to; the technique needs spoken material, so run the Golden Circle as a direct exercise instead
The group has fewer than six people, which leaves the three condensing groups too thin; a facilitated conversation with one shared flip chart is enough
The content presented is purely operational, so that hardly any 'why' statements occur and that chart stays empty; choose lenses that match the material
You need the audience to give feedback to the presenters; assigned lenses capture content rather than evaluation, so use a feedback format such as a Feedback Carousel or Plus/Delta
The final wording of a vision must be agreed in this step; the short statements are raw material, and a separate drafting and decision round is still required
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Selective Hearing?▾
Selective Hearing is a listening exercise for workshops. Each listener is assigned one lens, why, how or what, and notes only statements of that kind while others present. The notes are then sorted onto three charts and condensed into three short statements. It takes about 15 minutes on top of the presentation itself, so around 20 minutes with a five-minute presentation.
What are the why, how and what lenses?▾
'Why' covers statements about purpose and the reason an organisation or project exists. 'How' covers the ways of working and principles that make it distinctive. 'What' covers the concrete products, services or results. These are the same three levels as in the Golden Circle model.
Does it need a specific exercise beforehand?▾
It needs something to listen to. In the published version that is a sub-group presenting a collage about the organisation, but any presentation, talk or report-back that touches on purpose and practice will work. Brief the presenters only on their own task, not on the lenses.
Why limit the summary to 140 characters?▾
The limit forces each group to pick the few notes that matter and to agree on wording quickly. Without it, groups tend to list everything on the chart. The emojis add a fast, low-stakes way to agree on tone.
Can the lenses be changed?▾
Yes. The mechanic is that each person listens for one category only and the categories are harvested separately. Any small set of clearly distinct categories works, provided you give an example for each before the listening starts.
Plan your next workshop with AI
Workshop Weaver helps you combine methods like Selective Hearing into a complete, timed agenda in minutes.
Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Mischief Makers.