Leaders listen. Well, authentic leaders listen.
Effective leaders have learned that art. In a January 2001 article in Harvard Business Review, Jim Collins introduced the world to the “Level 5 Leadership” wherein HBR observed that is was “The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve.”
Those who practice humility listen actively. And active listening is a skill that is not easily developed. The goal must always be mutual understanding. The key to effective listening comes alive in the verse below: this listening gives birth to asking good questions.
Proverbs 18:17 (NASB) The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.
Effective, probing questions are not simply a matter of casual asking of top-of-mind questions. These questions take forethought. It takes skill to develop a conversation that achieves an understanding of many facets of any issues involved in a dispute. It takes discipline to not jump to conclusions.
Are you disciplined to listen first and then ask good questions?
Copyright (c)2009 by P. Griffith Lindell
Showing posts with label active listening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label active listening. Show all posts
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
LEADERSHIP SERIES: Leaders Solicit Advice
Outside advisers are becoming ubiquitous, and according to author, Dan Ciampa, in his book Taking Advice, although leaders sometimes have grown less satisfied with the advice they are receiving, they too often overlook help from colleagues, board members, subordinates, friends, and spouses. He points out that when leaders fail to solicit advice or obtain it [actually listen to the advice] the leader and his vision suffer.
So, one of attributes of leadership is the set of seeking and taking good advice. It was Ulrich, Zinger & Smallwood who pointed out that leadership is the product of attributes times results. Their research demonstrated that one side multiplies the other; they are not cumulative. Leaders must strive for excellence in both areas.
Listening leaders are the ones who have learned that the more they know, the more there is to know and they cannot know it all. They model that learning is life-long. Leaders learn to listen - not just hear - and they have honed the skill to listen with a set of expectations that listening and learning will help them produce meaningful results.
If your board is giving direction, are you listening? If your staff is disengaged and seemingly “not on the bus,” are you engaging them by seeking their advice on how, together, you can achieve expected results. If your spouse is making passing comments that your pursuit of business has had an impact on your pursuit of Godliness, do you listen?
Simply listening to advice and actually taking advice are two different activities.
In which activity are you engaged?
Proverbs12: 15 (MSG) Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice.
Copyright © 2009 by P. Griffith Lindell
So, one of attributes of leadership is the set of seeking and taking good advice. It was Ulrich, Zinger & Smallwood who pointed out that leadership is the product of attributes times results. Their research demonstrated that one side multiplies the other; they are not cumulative. Leaders must strive for excellence in both areas.
Listening leaders are the ones who have learned that the more they know, the more there is to know and they cannot know it all. They model that learning is life-long. Leaders learn to listen - not just hear - and they have honed the skill to listen with a set of expectations that listening and learning will help them produce meaningful results.
If your board is giving direction, are you listening? If your staff is disengaged and seemingly “not on the bus,” are you engaging them by seeking their advice on how, together, you can achieve expected results. If your spouse is making passing comments that your pursuit of business has had an impact on your pursuit of Godliness, do you listen?
Simply listening to advice and actually taking advice are two different activities.
In which activity are you engaged?
Proverbs12: 15 (MSG) Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice.
Copyright © 2009 by P. Griffith Lindell
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
LEADERSHIP Series: Learn to Listen
Whether you are leading a small business, a large company, or a team, listening is a skill that has direct impact on your ability to be an influential leader. Listening, learned and applied, is priceless to the person to whom you are listening.
If listening simply means gathering and making sense out of information, and information drives effective communication, then we need to be intentional about developing effective listening skills.
Research indicates that fifty percent of our time is spent listening, but our real attention consumes only twenty five percent – the other half is spent thinking about what to say next. We lose our ability to listen at an alarming rate – in first grade, we heard 90% of instruction and by ninth grade that percentage plummeted to 25%.
In life and in business, the more effective your listening skills, the more you learn about what the prospective customer really needs; what the current customer considers as exquisite service; and what your staff thinks is needed build a team focused on growing revenue or profitability. As one writer states, “The time and money you save by listening effectively can make the difference between success and failure.”
Scripture tells us that developing a “the hearing ear,” or teachableness, results in happiness. Imagine that: a skill we can learn, if diligent, results in something just for us that make us appealing. Leaders who have developed that ear will attract followers not only because they are heard, but also because the leader, who is really listening, is not full of self and is…happy.
We all want to be heard. God does to: Are you listening?
Proverbs 5:1 (NIV) My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight…
Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell
If listening simply means gathering and making sense out of information, and information drives effective communication, then we need to be intentional about developing effective listening skills.
Research indicates that fifty percent of our time is spent listening, but our real attention consumes only twenty five percent – the other half is spent thinking about what to say next. We lose our ability to listen at an alarming rate – in first grade, we heard 90% of instruction and by ninth grade that percentage plummeted to 25%.
In life and in business, the more effective your listening skills, the more you learn about what the prospective customer really needs; what the current customer considers as exquisite service; and what your staff thinks is needed build a team focused on growing revenue or profitability. As one writer states, “The time and money you save by listening effectively can make the difference between success and failure.”
Scripture tells us that developing a “the hearing ear,” or teachableness, results in happiness. Imagine that: a skill we can learn, if diligent, results in something just for us that make us appealing. Leaders who have developed that ear will attract followers not only because they are heard, but also because the leader, who is really listening, is not full of self and is…happy.
We all want to be heard. God does to: Are you listening?
Proverbs 5:1 (NIV) My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight…
Copyright ©2009 by P. Griffith Lindell
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