Listening. Something so simple, but something most of us are not very good at.
Most of us are rewarded as soon as we speak. Parents wait eagerly for their child’s first words. We are recognised when we speak up to answer a question or share our views. In the workplace, if we sit and listen, we are not always noticed, and often not promoted.
This can be exacerbated when people become leaders. It is common to feel that ‘being a leader’ means that you must have the answer, that being in charge is telling people what to do. However, most of us do not wish that leaders talked more, but many wish that they spend more time listening.
A leader’s role is to create the environment for their organisation to deliver sustainable results. That means developing and communicating the why (purpose), how (approach and culture) and what (product / service). A successful leader delivers through their people – good people who have been recruited because they have the talents to perform well.
Listening to people allows them to form their thoughts and share them. A high performing team makes the most of all the individuals within it, and a key part of this is all having an opportunity to be heard. If you have a team of ten, but only hear the views of two, then you are wasting your talent. If you don’t listen, people won’t speak.
At Apply Psychology, we teach people to listen. We run training in how to give such high-quality attention that you can help others to generate ideas. How to ask incisive questions which can open new avenues. And how to value and encourage different views. And all of these can lead to better performance at work.
Get in touch with Susie@applypsychology.co.uk for more details.
