The Listening Challenge: Fostering Soft Skill Development through a Four-Week Practice and Reflective Journaling Assignment

In response to the growing emphasis on soft skills in business, this study addresses the persistent gap between employer needs and graduates’ abilities by introducing the Listening Challenge. This four-week individual learning assignment, grounded in Kolb’s experiential learning model, aims to enhance students’ listening skills through intentional practice and reflective journaling. Conducted over three semesters with 101 undergraduate students in a Personal Selling course, the study utilized qualitative data analysis to assess the effectiveness of the assignment. Results indicate significant progress in students’ listening abilities, increased self-awareness, and heightened motivation to improve. Students reported enhanced listening self-efficacy and expressed intentions to continue practicing beyond the assignment. This study contributes to marketing education by providing a practical, easy-to-implement tool for developing soft skills across the curriculum. By integrating such experiential learning assignments, educators can better prepare students for the evolving job market, balancing the development of both hard and soft skills.