| Leaderly Listening Successful leaders say they spend 50% or more of their time listening. Noted leadership thinkers, such as Peter Drucker, consider it a core leadership skill. How much time do you spend listening to the views of others - employees, peers, customers, other stakeholders? And how effective are you at it? Although listening is considered a “soft skill” it produces hard results in relationship building. The articles address why listening is critical for effective leadership, listening skills every leader should practice, the art of active listening, and the barriers to effective listening. Also provided is a link to an on-line listening assessment. Listening as a Core Leadership Skill Listening is critical for leadership success because it enables effective relationships. Research reveals that listening:
During times of change (and leadership is all about effecting change) listening is even more important. According to the Center for Creative Leadership the more stress an organization is facing, the more important it is for its leaders to demonstrate soft skills such as listening to and empathizing with employees who are facing workplace upheaval. Listening – Key to Successful Executive Assimilation A report in Fortune Magazine revealed that approximately 40% of senior leaders fail in their jobs within the first 12-18 months. A prime cause is the failure to establish effective working relationships. In the Fast Company article, It’s About Time, Charles O. Rossotti, Commissioner of the IRS, said that he has found that the best use of his time at the IRS is to listen. He stated, "Too often, people who enter the top echelons of organizations think that they’re supposed to know everything. They think that they’ve been hired to provide an answer to every question. In fact people sometimes just want you to listen." Rossotti shared that before being sworn into office, he spent six months meeting IRS employees throughout the country. He believes that this enabled him to build the trust required to carry out his mission to overhaul the tax system. Lou Gerstner, who led IBM’s revival, provided a similar account of his first month at IBM. In his book, "Who Says Elephants Can't Dance, " Gerstner said before establishing his priorities for IBM’s future, "For the first month, I listened, and I tried very hard not to draw conclusions." To help leaders effectively assimilate into a new environment, many companies provide an Executive Assimilation Process. The process is designed to help executives establish solid working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders. It does so by providing opportunities for listening through events such as individual interviews, focus groups, and town hall meetings. In organizations without an established process, an executive coach can be used to help leaders develop one tailored to their specific needs. It is never too early to listen! Leaders who introduce themselves as a listener create the basis for successful work planning and problem solving. 3 Skills to Practice for Effective Listening Professional speaker and speech coach, Joan Lloyd, encourages leaders to practice three fundamentals skills of effective listening: paraphrasing, listening with empathy, and summarizing. Paraphrasing is a skill that good communicators use to:
A paraphrased response is: “You think Mark is getting away with poor performance and you’re feeling like you’re doing more than your share of the work.” Paraphrasing forces the listener to slow down and hear what the speaker is saying. It gives both the listener and the speaker the assurance that the intended thought and feelings are conveyed. Listening with empathy entails listening for content as well as feelings. Lloyd provides this example.
understand what you mean. Presentations can feel a little intimidating, since there is so much at stake.” Sally will acknowledge whether or not her manager correctly identified her feelings. Either way she will feel heard and valued. Then the manager can provide Sally with advice and encouragement. Summarizing is very useful in meetings and involves listening on two tracts: the content and structure of the meeting. For example,
Facilitators use this technique to ensure meetings are productive for everyone involved. Great leaders generally are good facilitators because they are good listeners. If paraphrasing, listening with empathy and summarizing are not part of your listening skill set begin to practice them. Initially you may feel awkward, that’s natural and to be expected. In time you’ll see that the benefits are worth the effort. Active Listening – It’s more than being “All Ears” In a scene from the movie, Rush Hour, actor/comedian Chris Tucker yells at his sidekick, Jackie Chan, “DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH!” In the scene Chris was speaking to Jackie, who merely stared at him offering no active signs that he had heard or understood Chris. Good leaders recognize the need to be active listeners. Active listening techniques are particularly useful for counseling and conflict resolution. According to, "The Trusted Advisor," active listeners:
Active listening is vital to gaining the trust, support and confidence of others. It is more than just rote action. It demonstrates a genuine desire to understand and requires discipline, interest, and concentration. Leaders can differentiate themselves from mere managers by making a conscious effort to improve their active listening skills. Listening Filters The thoughts and ideas we bring into a conversation filter what we hear. It happens naturally and usually subconsciously. However, these “listening filters” are barriers to good communication. Listed below are 11 common filters.
Leaders who recognize their own listening filters are better able to follow Stephen Covey’s advice, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Listening Assessment To quickly assess your listening competency take the self-assessment at: http://www.highgain.com/SELF/index.php3 It takes about 4 minutes and the results are provided immediately. If you scored lower than desired ask coworkers for feedback regarding your listening practices. (Review the guidelines for soliciting feedback in the July 2002 edition.) Also, you may use the assessment as a 360o evaluation. Ask coworkers to complete it, using you as the subject, and to give you a copy of the results. Finally, consider obtaining an executive coach to help you improve your listening skills. |
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| Workplace Wisdom |
