Listening is a skill area fraught with high self-deception. Leaders think they listen, but those seeking to be heard tell a different story. When surveyed about the frequency of listening behaviors, managers almost always score themselves higher than their direct reports score them.
When we think of interpersonal communication, we often believe the sender of information is the influencer—making leadership and listening appear somewhat contradictory. The fact is that an effective, proactive listener is every bit as influential as the sender of the information. When leaders understand that listening is not a passive behavior, they will be more effective in managing their direct reports.
Listening is a proactive and interactive involvement with another person’s ideas and feelings. It entails the use of specific verbal and nonverbal behaviors, which leaves both people with a firm sense that the words spoken were accurately communicated.
There are five fundamentals of proactive listening:
- Attend to Nonverbal Behaviors
- Ask Questions
- Reflect Feelings
- Paraphrase
- Summarize
Want to become a better leader who listens to understand and not just to speak? Schedule a free consultation to discuss your challenges and learn about Beacon Leadership's Listening Workshop. In this session you will learn when and how to use the five fundamentals most appropriately, depending on the development level of the person being listened to and the leadership style required.
Download the Listening Workshop Quick Guide.
