“Humble listening” is among the top four characteristics of leader.1 — Jeff Immelt, Former Chairman and CEO, GE.
“If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.”2,3 — Henry Ford.
“To be able to motivate and inspire others, you need to learn how to listen in both individual meetings and at the group level.”4 — Christine Riordan, President, Adelphi University.
Many times, over the course of a MOR Leaders Program, participants are reminded that relationships are the currency of the realm. If that’s so, then listening, truly listening, is one of the key facilitators required to develop and have meaningful, productive relationships. Indeed, listening is a skill that we use for much of every day. It is not only key to building relationships but also key to every other aspect of leadership. Without skill at listening, you simply cannot connect and lead effectively.
So then, how do I listen? To listen effectively, you need to treat listening as a discipline and become proficient in its practice. To be proficient, you must work at developing and enhancing your listening skills including seeking feedback on your listening and incorporating that feedback in your practice.
Note that I have used the word “listen,” not the word “hearing.” Hearing is simply the process of detecting sounds and becoming aware that “something” is there, whereas listening is the conscious processing of what we hear. Roland Barthes, a French researcher in the mid-1900s said, “Hearing is always occurring, most of the time subconsciously. In contrast, listening is the interpretative action taken by the listener in order to understand and potentially make meaning out of the sound waves.”5 But, it is even more than just hearing the sound waves, the words. Listening requires using and managing all of your senses, being aware of the speaker’s words as well as his or her facial expressions, gestures and body language, feelings, etc. And, at the same time we need to be aware of our non-verbal responses, as well.
As we go through our day, we listen in many different settings. Sometimes it is in a one-on-one setting, other times it’s in a group meeting, and sometimes you are a participant or speaker in a larger group setting, or it might even be an informal conversation as you walk down a hallway or along a path outside. The good news is that the approaches you use to listen in each situation are generally the same. My universal, overly-comprehensive checklist for listening may be helpful to you:
Listening is among the most important things we do each day and every day. The ability to extract information from a conversation or a presentation is one of a leader’s most important tools. Today’s Tuesday Reading will help you step up these skills. I trust that you’ll use this opportunity as you continue your leadership journey.
Make this a great week for your team and for you. . . jim
Jim Bruce is a Senior Fellow and Executive Coach at MOR Associates. He previously was Professor of Electrical Engineering, and Vice President for Information Systems and CIO at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.
References:
Other Readings of Interest:
Note: An earlier version of this essay appeared as the Tuesday Reading for March 30, 2015.
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