Leaders, STOP Talking and Start Listening
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” ~George Bernard Shaw
What do you do, as a leader, to create a culture of open communication? How do you encourage your employees to share their ideas, express concerns and provide feedback? How do you ensure that you are providing your employees with the information they need to do their jobs?
Creating a culture of open communication takes continuous intention. One great way to get started is to stop doing all the talking and listen. Depending on the research, you will find a variety of listening models. Those who know me personally, know I like to keep things simple, so I will share a model with three levels.
Subjective Listening - at level 1 listening, what you hear you are relating back through yourself. You are distracted because you are trying to relate and as a result the person speaking does not feel heard.
Objective Listening - at level 2, you are focused on hearing the facts. This is typically referred to as "active listening" and as a result you are able to repeat back to the speaker, exactly what you heard them say. This level is effective but doesn’t get to the heart of what the person is saying.
Intuitive Listening - at level 3, you are able to receive the entire message that is being sent. You are able to pay attention to more than just the words, also feelings, tone and even what is NOT being said. The speaker will know what you have heard because you are able to paraphrase back a broad understanding. This is the most effective level of listening.
I challenge you to practice intuitive listening. You will be surprised how much more you hear and understand. In doing this, your employees will feel as though you have heard them and it will go a long way in creating a culture of open communication.
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