HOW TO LISTEN LIKE A LEADER
Get Started:
Take out a pen and paper. Write your responses to the questions that follow.
Writing is thinking.
- Record the reason you want to improve your listening skills. Purpose energizes growth. What advantages for yourself and others do you see in becoming a better listener? Write until you record all your ideas. Wait. Write some more.
- Write about the best listeners from your past. What made them good listeners? Think beyond their actions to their attitude about themselves and you. Consider their motivations.
- Make a list of the best listeners on your team. Explain why they made the list. Identify three qualities, motivations, or behaviors they regularly exhibit.
- Jot down one thing you might learn from the best listeners on your current team.
Take action:
Invite your team to work on their listening skills with you. Shared projects strengthen respect, elevate enjoyment, enhance follow-through, and fuel progress.
- Say, “I’m working to become a better listener. I’d like to invite you to join me.”
- Schedule listening walk-abouts once a day. Walk around listening to learn and connect. During the process leave a bit of yourself with everyone you engage.
- Debrief with your team. What are we learning?
Why listen?:
#1. Listening saves time. Stop answering questions that aren’t being asked and solving problems that don’t exist.
#2. Talent goes to sleep when leaders give all the answers.
#3. Answer-givers end up needing to give more answers. Teams become dependent.
- Individuals learn to wait, rather than taking initiative.
- Leaders becomes overworked and overwhelmed.
#4. Listening strengthens connections.
#5. Listening is the path to learning.
Growth happens in community.
How might leaders take their listening to the next level?
What does it mean to listen like a leader? (Assuming there’s more to it than listening to solve or answer.)
Origianlly published on Leadership Freak blog.
