The Difference Between Being Heard and Being Acknowledged in The Workplace
Workplace discussions often create an illusion of participation, but being listened to doesn't guarantee being truly heard or understood. While contributions might be acknowledged, their impact on the conversation's direction can be minimal. This ...
Discussions that take place in the workplace tend to give the appearance of involvement, with thoughts being exchanged and responded to. This creates the feeling of a forum where voices come alive, at times. There is, however, a distinction that becomes clear over time, a distinction that may not be apparent initially. Being listened to does not necessarily mean being heard or understood, even as these two things seem to go hand-in-hand. Words will be taken in, responded to, and maybe even remembered.
Acknowledgment includes recognition of contributions, which affects the course of events or actions, according to articles published in the Journal of Applied Psychology (2020). However, hearing does not necessarily affect the direction of discourse; it can be limited to the acquisition of information only. The differences between acknowledgment and hearing become more apparent during discussions when many opinions are expressed. Some suggestions are repeated, whereas others may slowly die out, not because they were rejected but simply ignored. There is also a dimension of time associated with this experience. One may have an idea at one point but recognize it at another time, whether it was somebody else or whether it had taken a new form. There is thus an aspect of involvement that becomes characterized by the fact that it may not be clear when the idea originates, but only when it is made known. Attribution tends to take place depending on who restates the idea in groups, according to a study conducted by Research in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes (2018).
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The feeling of this disjuncture does not happen immediately; instead, it accumulates from several interactions in which one can be seen participating actively, yet their level of involvement does not necessarily match their level of impact. The discussion goes on, the exchange goes on, but the influence does not stay constant. One can feel themselves heard and acknowledged, and the difference between the two cannot always be explained with words.
