|
As a leader, when listening, do not
listen to respond. Listen to understand. Often, when you listen to
respond, you get distracted by your thoughts as you think of the
appropriate response. Usually, you only listen partially and then
immediately start to think of an answer. You miss out on
understanding the whole story.
Listen to understand, not respond.
To do this effectively, one should
learn to encourage the speaker to continue talking. Let them fully
express their story. It gives you more time to gather more
information and emotional context.
Encourage speaker to speak more-Listen
more.
Listening is a way to show the speaker
that you care. As you listen you communicate to them that they
matter. It is an effective way to convey empathy. Listening is a
useful skill to esteem the person who is expressing themselves.
Listening is about them − not you. So
stop eagerly waiting for them to stop talking so that you can jump
in with your response or perceived solution or your own ‘similar’
story.
The speaker has their own solutions.
They are capable of coming up with their solutions even if they
might not think so, or you might not also be thinking so. Your role
as a leader is to communicate that as you listen, pay attention to
their non-verbal communication and encourage them to continue
talking.
Listening = Empowering speakers to
believe in themselves.
To be an
active listener, you need to learn how to listen with your
body language. You need to show the person that you are
interested in their story. Your body language should also
communicate the same.
● Maintain
eye contact with the speaker as they talk without staring
● Ensure that your body is facing the speaker
● If you are seated, lean forward as the person speaks
● Nod your head to signal to them to continue speaking
● Engage your hand gestures in encouraging them to speak
● Mirror their sitting or standing posture
Lastly, remember that useful listening skills make the difference
between a good leader and a weak leader. |
