WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR LEADERS TO BE GOOD LISTENERS?
It is human nature that the sentiment of being valued and adored prompts an everlasting effect on the human body. One of the best ways to appreciate others is by listening to them. It helps build trust among individuals. When we appreciate others, we recognize them as a separate entity.
As the world is revolutionizing, the skill of listening is becoming rare. Even superiors in large organizations overlook employee suggestions and feedback. This results in a lack of motivation and employee engagement. Moreover, it is hard to survive in an environment where your opinions are not appreciated.
So, whether you are a CEO, manager or director, start asking this one question: What do you think? This will result in getting answers from your employees which are sometimes better than your own. Like Twitter, which is a constantly growing and changing company, gains employees’ trust by listening to their opinions.
But! Listening is not an easy art to master. Following are the three levels of listening which we exercise in our daily routine.
Internal listening
Internal listening is concentrating on your stress, needs, and priorities. Usually, we do this when we are talking to someone and using our phones at the same time.
Focused listening
Focused listening means not to be able to fully connect with the other person even when you are not doing anything else.
360 listening
This is the ideal listening level which must be opted by the upper management in an organization. In 360 listening, you not only focus on what the other person is saying but also notice how they say it. Knowing what the other person cannot say is the extent which marks your success as a leader.
Leaders must focus on 360 listening more to build a connection. There’s the token of what’s conceivable if the leader listens to what the other individual needs to state. It is understandable, how can a leader know what’s going through an employee’s head? You can only realize this when you listen to them.
Great leaders are those who are great listeners
According to several researchers, a person forgets half of the things they’ve heard just after they finish a conversation. As a leader, you build a connection with your employees by giving them undivided attention. Listening doesn’t only mean hearing someone speak but understanding the unsaid sentiments as well.
- Listen to what your employees have to say rather than interrupting to put your opinions first.
- Make your employees feel that they are an asset to this company by encouraging them to share their viewpoints.
- Note each point and make eye contact.
- The best leaders know how to approach their employees to show empathy when necessary.
- Avoid harsh criticism when you can use a lighter tone to address the issue.
Some of the leader’s characteristics include strategic thinking and the ability to inspire and motivate others. But! listening is one of the leadership responsibilities which does not appear in the job description. Listening leads to personal growth and allows an individual to be open-minded. Leaders who listen to their followers bring out the best in them. All in all, leaders who lead with listening succeed in their occupation.
This post originally appeared on the Intelligenes official blog
https://www.intelligenes.com/2019/08/22/why-is-it-important-for-leaders-to-be-good-listeners/
