One of the central challenges for organizational learning at an intersubjective level has been proposed in terms of developing a shared language as a prerequisite for shared understanding in a community. In this respect, social learning theory suggests communities of practice as loci, and discourse as the medium of such learning. Rather than knowledge acquisition, social learning refers to identity formation through competent participation in a discursive practice. Listening as a central, yet so far neglected, element of discursive practice involves the constitution of a relational basis that allows for intersubjective meaning generation. We suggest listening as a condition for the possibility of social learning and illustrate our suggestion with an empirical case. We discuss the implications of our argument for organizational and social learning as well as its broader relevance.
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