Have you ever been listened to by someone who knows how to listen actively? It’s surprising how much you can get from it.
It is not only the person on the receiving end of the active listening who wins. The person doing the listening wins as well.
I’ll explain with an example. I have an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s Disease. I manage it and fortunately, I have it well under control.
However, it still necessitates many visits per year to endocrinologists, doctors, and sometimes other specialist consultants if I am experiencing a flare-up or an issue related to it.
As an executive coach, I am trained in active listening, so I know what it looks (or should I say sounds!) like. What has struck me this year has been the difference between the professional consultants who have listened to me and those who have talked at me.
Those who talked at me had a lot of information they wanted to share with me – I understand that. However, by not listening to my story or my experience, they missed a large part of the puzzle.
The number of times I am told facts that either I have been aware of for over ten years, or that don’t apply to my condition, or that are irrelevant to my particular situation is quite astonishing.
The opposite is true. The professionals who took the time to ask me pertinent questions related to my own experience, who actively listened and then responded had more information and were able to save time (as they learnt I have an excellent understanding of my condition, as I have spent years researching the topic) and were far more informed.
Today I had an appointment with my physio. She is a truly brilliant professional. She sat and listened to my current situation for about 30 minutes while barely uttering a word, just asking me the odd question here and there. When I had finished she had the complete picture of the situation and was armed with all the information she required.
The same goes for business. If you only stopped to ACTIVELY LISTEN, you will learn something before you talk at (and I mean at and not to) people during a meeting.
If you want to be a successful leader and not a know-it-all, active listening is the missing ingredient. There are other benefits too. You will become someone who has their finger on the pulse. You will build trust with the people you listen to, and you will be an emotionally intelligent leader.
The great advantage of active listening is the more you practice it, the better you become at it. Lean in, read between the lines, study the body language, and pick up on the tone of voice. All of these actions will make you a first-class listener.
Let me know how it goes!
