Have you ever had a boss who did not listen to you? Listening is a key to effective leadership and connecting with your people. It also allows you to gain insights into the way they think and allows for brand new ideas to be presented.
True Communication and Listening
First, there are several benefits to your organization if you approach people with the spirit of understanding and an increased focus on listening:
- Increases employee trust with your leadership
- New ideas and alternative insights
- Allows your employees to voice their true minds
- Creates an image of you to your employees that values feedback and their opinions
As your relationships grow, you will see an increase in trust and your team will be more open with their ideas and feedback. Make sure to listen to their input and be present when they are discussing issues. Work to develop trust through your listening abilities. However, don’t interrupt them. Just listen and hear what they have to say wholeheartedly before you respond.
The benefits of listening are numerous and your overall organization health and it’s an ability to listen while working with each other that will make the work environment successful. Listening to your people creates trust which can translate when you have difficult decisions to make. You can help your team to understand why and get them to champion your cause through trust and understanding built from listening and acting.
