Live Practice: Listening Deeply

What motivates people to visit your museum? Why does someone decide to become a member? What about all the people who don't visit or join? If you're a museum professional, you probably carry questions like these and have likely tried to get answers by asking people through surveys, focus groups, or exit interviews. If so, you may have been disappointed to learn that the responses weren't all that helpful. That's because humans don't often know why they behave the way they do, and our brains generate explanations for our behavior even when we don't know why we do what we do.  So, if we can't simply ask people why they do what they do, where does that leave us? What can we do if the methods we've relied on to understand audiences are unreliable? In this meetup, participants will get a view into Listening Deeply (or Listening for Interior Cognition) — a method for identifying people's thoughts, feelings, and guiding principles as they try to address a goal that matters to them. For museums, this practice helps us understand what drives people's behavior. It's also a powerful tool for cultivating authentic relationships with new communities.  Who can attend?This session is free and open to all cultural professionals. • Course participants: Maybe you completed Listening Deeply in Museums last year, or maybe you registered but haven't gotten around to starting the videos — or perhaps you're somewhere in between. This session is for you! Ask questions about what you've learned and discuss the course content. We'll also break into pairs to practice listening for interior cognition around a purpose.  • Everyone else: If you're new to MaP or a museum professional curious about this practice, you're welcome to join. You can register for the course here if you'd like to practice with us. But if you prefer to participate as an observer, that's fine, too. When course participants are in breakouts, you can stay in the main room and hear more about Listening Deeply as a tool for creating more inclusive cultural institutions. How to participate• Members: RSVP above↗ to receive an email reminder before the event begins. • Non-members: You don't have to join the community to attend. Return to this page at the event start time and click the link to join the session above↗.  Questions about this session?Leave a comment on this event or message Kyle.