| The best leaders share a common secret: They | | | | effort, listening leaders have enhanced their |
| successfully lead because they effectively listen. | | | | awareness and attitude, increased their knowledge, |
| Good listening, however, seems to be a rare | | | | and improved their listening skills. |
| management skill. Unfortunately, many people work | | | | Poor listening is costly. Although listening is central to |
| with leaders who interrupt, are rude and boorish, and | | | | all leaders' success, few have received training on |
| devalue their direct reports. Imagine how their | | | | how to be good listeners. As a result, many have |
| negative behavior damages the morale, productivity, | | | | developed counterproductive and costly listening |
| and effectiveness of their organizations. | | | | habits. The costs are staggering. Ineffective and |
| Manny Steil and I have devoted more than 50 years | | | | inefficient listening results in extraordinary losses of |
| of combined work to researching, writing, consulting, | | | | time, money, productivity, customer service, |
| teaching, and training in the areas of listening and | | | | self-esteem, reputations, opportunities, and more. On |
| leadership. During the past three years, we've | | | | the other hand, effective, efficient, and productive |
| interviewed more than 100 leaders around the globe, | | | | listeners profit in a multitude of ways. |
| including CEOs and front-line leaders, educators, | | | | Responsible and active listeners are productive |
| entrepreneurs, pastors, military officers, pilots, | | | | listeners. Unfortunately, most leaders operate on the |
| celebrities, and homemakers. No matter role what | | | | assumption that it's the speaker's responsibility to |
| role they play, these people understand the definition | | | | ensure successful communication, thus they become |
| of listening leadership: to guide yourself and others to | | | | passive listeners. Our experience clearly demonstrates |
| positive results for the betterment of all by enhanced | | | | that the passive listener is always a poor listener and |
| sensing, interpreting, evaluating, storing, and | | | | an ineffective leader. Conversely, outstanding leaders |
| responding to messages. Based on our research, | | | | assume responsibility for the success of all |
| we've developed 10 golden rules for effective | | | | communication to and from them. When listening, |
| listening. Here, we'll focus on the first rule, which is | | | | these leaders display an attitude of responsibility and |
| critical key for both listening and leading: building a | | | | exhibit concrete behaviors of productive and involved |
| solid foundation. | | | | activity. |
| Do you hear what I hear? | | | | Listening can be commanded only to the degree |
| Listening leaders recognize that listening and | | | | developed. Many listeners deceive themselves with |
| leadership are inseparable and that listening is the | | | | the assumption that they can listen well whenever |
| best way to learn about the true needs, | | | | they really need to, want to, or have to. Nothing |
| expectations, and desires of their followers. Peter | | | | could be further from the truth. In reality, listeners |
| Nulty, an inductee in Fortune magazine's National | | | | can only "will" themselves to listen to the level they |
| Business Hall of Fame, aptly observed, "Of all the skills | | | | have developed such skills. Second, the assumption |
| of leadership, listening is the most valuable, and one | | | | that you can do more if needed interferes with the |
| of the least understood. Most captains of industry | | | | investment necessary to focus, grow, and get |
| listen only sometimes, and they remain ordinary | | | | better. Productive listeners understand their strengths |
| leaders. But a few, the great ones, never stop | | | | and limitations and constantly strive to achieve higher |
| listening." As you focus on building a solid foundation | | | | levels of performance. |
| for success, understand these five universal listening | | | | Listening leadership in practice |
| facts: | | | | John DiBiaggio, one of the many listening leaders we |
| Listening is our primary communication activity. More | | | | interviewed, has spent his career in higher education |
| than half a century of research in the field of listening | | | | administration and served as president of several |
| proves that we spend 80 percent of our waking | | | | institutions, including Michigan State and Tufts |
| hours communicating. At least 45 percent of that | | | | universities and the University of Connecticut. "I've |
| time is spent listening. For leaders, the total time | | | | often said you show your intelligence not by what |
| invested in listening is even higher. Numerous studies | | | | you say, but what you ask," DiBiaggio says. "If you're |
| identify listening as the most critical leadership | | | | a good listener, you'll focus on what the other person |
| success skill, and employers consistently rate it as | | | | is trying to tell you." For example, when seasoned |
| one of the top five skills they expect of employees. | | | | managers see certain situations reoccur in the |
| As leadership responsibilities grow, the importance of | | | | workplace, they must be willing to listen to other |
| listening increases dramatically. | | | | staff members and consider unique approaches. "If |
| Listening is an innate, learned, and improvable | | | | students on campus begin a protest, for example, |
| behavior. Listening is driven by a combination of | | | | you might say to yourself, 'I've seen protests before |
| instinctive, inherent, and innate forces. Listening, in its | | | | and I know what to do,'" DiBiaggio says. "However, |
| full complexity, is also a measurable, observable, and | | | | other staff members who also are experiencing the |
| improvable behavior. Research reveals that most | | | | protest might have some other ideas as to what you |
| individuals don't listen well. Immediately after listening | | | | should do in that situation. |
| to a 10¬minute presentation, the average listener | | | | I had to teach myself to listen to what people were |
| has heard, correctly understood, properly evaluated, | | | | saying in each situation and not immediately come to |
| stored, and appropriately responded to approximately | | | | a conclusion." Listening and leading are synonymous. |
| half of what was said. Within 48 hours, that drops to | | | | Exceptional leaders focus intensely on the value of |
| a final effectiveness level of 25 percent. Evidence | | | | building solid listening and leadership foundations. Build |
| shows that with effort, however, listening | | | | lasting foundations, and you'll join their ranks. |
| effectiveness can be improved. As a result of guided | | | | |