Ubuntu and the power of

active listening  

Laura Roper, AACSB Accreditation Project Officer 

Vianna Renaud, Placement Development Advisor 

Bournemouth University 

There are a number of different approaches to Lean thinking but we would like to introduce participants to a different approach which focuses on the value of each individual within a team and community and how, by identifying their individual strengths and values you can create a more efficient and successful team with improved output.

This is through the ancient code of ethics of Ubuntu. Originating in South Africa, Ubuntu acknowledges the value of each individual within a group embodies the importance of reconciliation, building bridges and creating unity. We will use this approach to facilitate an interactive workshop in which participants will experience the destructive nature of non-active listening in a team environment compared to the power of active listening and how this works to eliminate waste and promotes continuousimprovement and the sharing of best practice. Participants will use their new knowledge and the experience to develop a toolkit of approaches to managing staff engagement and promoting active listening within their own places of work.    

This will be an interactive session with group discussion and sharing of best practice to promote continuous improvement. 

Main Learnings: 

• By enabling participants to feel the impact of non-active listening compared to active listening they are better able to immerse themselves in the process and ways of generating best practice.  
• Ubuntu and Lean focused approaches to staff engagement and continuous improvement 
• How each individual within a team can make a difference