Many skills and qualities are required to succeed in a leadership role, such as problem-solving, motivation, and big-picture strategy. However, one of the most fundamental basic skills is often overlooked: listening. And it’s crucial to building stronger, more connected teams.
In this article, we’ll explore why active listening matters in the workplace and how leaders can practice the skill.
What Is Active Listening?
It doesn’t take much effort to hear what someone is saying. In most ways, listening is passive. However, active listening takes communication to the next level to attune your thoughts and feelings to what someone is saying and create an active, two-way conversation.
Consultants Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman shared this metaphor: “You’re not a sponge merely absorbing information. Instead, think of yourself more like a trampoline that gives the speaker’s thoughts energy, acceleration, height, and amplification.”
Instead of thinking about how you’ll respond to something someone is saying or making judgments as they speak, active listeners seek to understand, gain more information, and listen and learn from the interaction.
Active listening can have tremendous benefits at work, including the following:
- Improved working relationships. When leaders demonstrate active listening, they show that they value other people’s opinions and perspectives, which builds trust in working relationships. Research shows that employees who trust their leaders are a staggering 260% more motivated at work. Paying close attention creates more clarity in communication and prevents misunderstandings.
- Stronger, more efficient teams. Listening is the cornerstone of efficiency and collaboration. As leaders and team members learn from each other through active listening, they can collaborate and solve problems easier and avoid conflict. Leaders set the tone with active listening, which then spreads throughout teams for increased communication.
- Professional and personal growth. As leaders practice active listening, they also build their skills in other important areas, such as emotional intelligence and empathy. They can better understand the people around them, which strengthens relationships and creates opportunities to grow.
- Diverse workplace. As leaders showcase active listening, they build a respectful and supportive company culture that encourages multiple viewpoints. Employees can share their diverse opinions because they know they will be respected.
- Better business decisions. Leaders can’t make effective decisions if they don’t have the full picture. Active listening helps leaders see things from other perspectives and gain more information to make better informed and more strategic decisions
How To Practice Active Listening
Active listening requires continual practice and development. It isn’t something that can be mastered and forgotten about but something that leaders must continually develop, especially as team dynamics and communication channels change.
Here are five exercises and strategies leaders can use to practice active listening:
- Be present in the conversation. Start by setting the stage for success, which includes removing distractions (including phone or email notifications), turning toward the person, and maintaining eye contact. Practice positive, neutral body language with an open posture and a smile and nod. Being fully present shows the other person you are engaged in the conversation, whether it’s in person or virtual.
- Seek to understand, not judge. The fastest way to stop an open conversation is if the speaker feels judged and guarded about what they are saying. A key strategy of open listening is suspending judgment and input to learn and understand. Avoid interrupting and adding your own experiences.
Ask open-ended questions. Don’t try to guide the conversation in a particular way. Avoid simple yes/no questions that don’t offer opportunities to expand ideas. Open-ended questions allow the speaker to elaborate so leaders can understand better. Some examples include:
- Tell me more about that.
- How did you feel in that situation?
- What can I do to support you?
- What made you consider that option?
- Follow up to clarify. When the speaker finishes a thought, leaders can paraphrase to make sure they understand the point and reflect on the conversation. Summarizing what you heard helps avoid misunderstandings and shows engagement. Ask for clarification or more information. Paraphrasing what’s been said shows you’re paying attention and helps you better internalize the message.
- Practice outside the organization. Active listening is crucial when communicating with employees, but it doesn’t stop there. Applying this skill to partners, vendors, customers, and other external partners can improve relationships and streamline communication.
Active listening is a lifelong pursuit and a crucial skill for all leaders to develop. As leaders embrace active listening, they develop a culture of trust and collaboration that can benefit their careers and their entire organizations.
Disclaimer: Fundbox and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
