With organizations and individuals so fervently focused on the bottom line, it’s easy to ignore the softer skills, such as listening well.  “All that touchy-feeling stuff is a waste of my time,” you might say or think.  On the contrary!   A focus on listening can lead to more effective teamwork, higher productivity, fewer conflicts and errors, enhanced innovation and problem-solving, improved recruiting and retention, superior customer relations and more.  As authors on leadership development have noted through the years, listening is not just a nice thing to do, it’s essential!

“Make the human element as important as the financial or the technical element,” wrote Stephen Covey in his seminal book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  “You save tremendous amounts of time, energy and money when you tap into the human resources of a business at every level.  When you listen, you learn.”

As long ago as 1966, Peter Drucker, author of The Effective Executive, emphasized the importance of listening to both self and others as an essential step in understanding everyone’s role as contributors to the organization’s overall success.

Likewise, studies in Emotional Intelligence (EI) have found that leaders actually “infect” the workplace (for better or for worse) with their attitudes and energy.  To understand and influence these flows of emotions and motivational states, leaders need to be able to practice empathic listening skills.

In Seven Habits, Covey cites numerous examples of successful business deals and resolved workplace issues in pointing out the importance—and power—of active listening versus mechanical, or perfunctory, listening.  He also acknowledges that it takes time and practice to become adept at listening empathically.  Here are some tips for sharpening your listening skills.

During a conversation:

• Listening is beyond just hearing.  Focus on what is being said, but also concentrate on how the speaker is saying it.  Make a mental note of tone, word choice, and body language.
• Be fully engaged in listening.  Active listening means fully engaging with the speaker.  Maintain eye contact. Remove any distractions, including opportunities to multi-task. Limit note taking if possible.
• Strive to understand.  Express genuine interest in what is being said, and ask follow-up questions as needed to clarify points.  Use this as an opportunity to learn.
• Encourage the speaker to elaborate.  Practice using any phrase that elicits something more than a “yes” or “no” response, such as: Tell me more about… How did you feel when… What do you mean when you say…
• Listen more than talk.  There is a wise saying, “You were given two ears and one mouth. Use them proportionally.”  Listening more and speaking less is critical to building relationships, learning, and cultivating the art of listening.
• Show that you’re listening.  Use your body language and gestures to convey attention.  Nod occasionally, smile, and use other positive facial expressions.  Note your posture, and make sure it is open and inviting.  Try not to interrupt.
• Respond appropriately.  Active listening is a model for respect and understanding, to learn and gain perspective.  Summarize the speaker’s points periodically during the conversation.  If feedback is warranted, be candid in your responses while treating the other person with dignity and respect.

After a conversation:

• Evaluate your listening.  Replay conversations you’ve had and assess whether you listened well.
• Seek feedback.  Ask coworkers, employees, bosses, clients/customers and suppliers to assess your listening skills.
• Work with a coach. Coaches can help you discover ways to listen better, not only to those you work with, but also to yourself.

Clearly, listening is a skill that we can all benefit from improving.  By becoming a better listener, you will learn more about yourself and your business as well as be able to build stronger relationships with people affiliated with your business.  You will also be rewarded with an entirely new level of communication skills.

Author’s content used under license, © Claire Communications