Are listening and speaking equal skills for the leadership in organizations across New Jersey? It is a great question for both managers and employees to think about. Most professionals learn to talk very early in life and continue that trend through their careers. Talking is easy for many of us.
Although many leaders have taken some form of public speaking course in their careers, including the ones Dale Carnegie Training has produced, there are very few courses being taught today that involve public listening.
Yet successful listening involves an active disciplined focus to be successful. It is the only way organizations can assess and interpret important facts and data. This information promotes high quality decision making and problem solving. In fact, it is through listening and action that businesses achieve their goals and objectives.
High quality professional listening includes engagement involving five critical factors :
- Understanding
- Feedback
- Guidance
- Support
- Approachability
When team members appreciate the comments of others, listen more than they talk, and clarify and respond with respect for others; success often happens, even in the most complicated of situations.
In most cases, listening actively to others in a variety of situations is as much of a responsibility as it is an interpersonal skill. Nothing happens when there is no listening.
Learning is driven only by listening and doing. It is through these important and simple processes that change happens. When employees express opinions, they need to be truly listened to; these thoughts are important to them. Active listening in the workplace is a blend of emotion, interaction, and connection. By nature this describes the importance of employee engagement.
It is important to remember that studies have suggested that most people can think twice as fast as they can talk. Listening is prone to busy schedules, thoughts that wander, and listening only to a certain point.
Listening builds trust, loyalty, engagement, enthusiasm, and commitment. Leaders who are strong and connected speakers do so through their skill as good listeners.
Winning friends and influencing people happens through good listening skills. Make relationships stronger. Simply pay attention. It works every time.
In association with this article on listening, check out our Knowledge Center for additional information for organizational improvement.
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