3 ways to 'listen' your way to better leadership
Great leaders don't just listen what people say, they notice what they don't say, too Image: REUTERS/Tony Gentile
How many of us truly take on board what co-workers are saying?
Listening properly isn’t just about looking up from your laptop and giving the other person your undivided attention, it’s a key skill that all leaders should develop, according to Melissa Daimler in the Harvard Business Review.
Daimler, who heads Twitter’s Global Learning and Organizational Development team, explains that "360 listening", where you’re not only listening to what the person is saying, but how they’re saying it, and even picking up on what they’re not saying, is a powerful – and often overlooked – leadership tool.
While 360 listening can be challenging to master, there are ways for leaders to practise the skill. Daimler suggests trying these three things this week.
1. Look people in the eye
Put away your phone or laptop during meetings, and instead focus on what people are trying to tell you. Maintaining eye contact not only builds trust but a stronger working environment, Daimler says.
She quotes Sherry Turkle, a professor at MIT who studies the psychology of online connectivity, who wrote in her book Reclaiming Conversation: “We face a significant choice. It is not about giving up our phones but about using them with greater intention. Conversation is there for us to reclaim.”
2. Create space in your day
Daimler says that rushing through important conversations or attempting to cram meetings into a hectic schedule leaves you with no time to listen properly to other people.
“Give yourself time for reflection and space throughout the day, so that when you are talking with someone, you can give them your full attention,” she writes.
3. Ask more questions
She suggests that next time a co-worker asks for advice, make sure you’re listening and understand the situation. Then, before replying, ask a question. This will help you understand what they need. Often it’s simply reassurance from you that they’re making the right decision.
Don't miss any update on this topic
Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.
License and Republishing
World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.
Stay up to date:
leadership
Related topics:
Forum Stories newsletter
Bringing you weekly curated insights and analysis on the global issues that matter.
More on LeadershipSee all
David Elliott
December 19, 2024