The Listening Shift by Janie van Hool

Author:Janie van Hool
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Practical Inspiration Publishing
Published: 2021-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

The listeners: The coroner

I asked senior coroner Joanne Kearsley how much listening matters in her work. She responded by telling me that a coroner’s job can’t be done without listening to people – not just in court, but also with staff and colleagues in the coroner’s office.

Joanne began her career as a lawyer, so she is used to reading and understanding evidence before she hears it presented in court. This written mater-ial allows her to decide who she requests to give evidence, and enables her to pay close attention to and deeply understand the bigger picture as well as the details before she meets relevant witnesses. This, she says, is where she needs to listen closely to staff from her office, who will have spoken to family members and had to deliver and listen to difficult information. They will then feed in any concerns that need acknowledging and help her to understand the emotions of the bereaved.

Once in court, Joanne hears the evidence presented to her. This is the second stage of listening, having first gained understanding through reviewing the case files. She describes hearing the case as ‘putting the jigsaw pieces into place’. Critically, this is where a coroner has to suspend judgement – the expectation and anticipation of how things may turn out can be very different when the case is presented by those closest to it.

She told me how important it is to keep an open mind – to check yourself. Jo feels you have to be strong enough to change your understanding – to admit that things may be more complicated than they first appeared to be. Her ethos is being there to help – by being proportionate and fair.

This is a perfect example of the importance of managing our inner judge, approaching the situation with empathy and listening to what is said – not what we wish had been said.

Coroners are required to deliver some of the most difficult and painful messages people will hear, often in regard to tragic outcomes, in highly emotional, high-profile situations. Jo feels that a key part of the coroner’s skill in communication is helping people to listen. She is aware that the professionals involved may be desensitized to some details that could easily distress people connected to a case. Her focus is minimizing the potential for shock and damage to listeners, while ensuring that they understand fully.

Jo has learned to manage her impact, recognizing that not everyone will perceive her intention as she meant it. People are different, she says. You can’t think about how you would do it – it’s about them.

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