Listening effectively is increasingly crucial for leaders in today’s dynamic environment, but it’s also more challenging due to factors like high job turnover and remote work, which lacks nonverbal cues. Leaders who fail to heed and respond to their employees’ concerns risk higher turnover, especially among top performers and frontline workers. Unfortunately, listening, though highly praised, is rarely explicitly taught, except in therapist training. Surprisingly, only 11% of accredited undergraduate business schools list “listening” as a learning goal, while 78% prioritize “presenting.”
Active listening comprises three dimensions: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. Becoming a better listener involves ongoing coaching and personalized guidance to understand one’s strengths, weaknesses, and habits. Simply reading an article won’t transform you into a champion listener, just as reading about balance won’t make you Simone Biles. Our goal is to enhance your comprehension of effective listening and provide research-backed advice to hone your listening skills.
Active listening encompasses understanding the other person’s communication, including emotions, and conveying interest and empathy. To improve your active listening, consider these nine tips:
– Repeat the last few words the other person said.
– Avoid rephrasing unless necessary for clarification.
– Use nonverbal cues if natural to you; otherwise, communicate your intention.
– Pay attention to nonverbal cues.
– Ask more questions than you think necessary.
– Minimize distractions, both external and internal.
– Acknowledge when you might not be at your best as a listener.
– Avoid rehearsing your response while the other person is talking.
– Monitor your emotions to prevent disengagement or defensiveness.
– Active listening is a complex skill with various subskills.
Evaluate your proficiency in these subskills to improve your overall listening abilities:
– Hearing: Address hearing loss openly and request accommodations.
– Auditory processing: Ask questions to clarify when struggling to understand.
– Reading body language and social cues: Seek help when necessary.
– Maintaining attention: Set intentions and control your environment.
– Regulating your emotional response: Practice meditation and grounding techniques.
– Integrating multiple sources of information: Identify what aids your listening.
– Performing active listening: Communicate your preferences and practice as needed.
Recognize that listening is vital, underappreciated, demanding, and especially challenging post-Covid-19. In these turbulent times, leaders should genuinely listen, grasp context, avoid generic responses, and acknowledge their own listening limitations. Show compassion for yourself and make adjustments where needed, rather than berating your own cognitive processes.