One Skill to Grow Your Leadership
Want to grow in your leadership? Master this one skill: talk less and listen more.
Young and insecure leaders feel compelled to tell you what they know. Growing leaders are life-long learners, and we learn by listening more. The Dali Lama put it this way, “When you talk you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen you may learn something new.”
A recent article in Fast Company Magazine [1] highlighted three listening skills to master to grow your leadership.
First, let other people talk. You need to hear the perspectives of other people to get a broader view of what is going on in your organization than just what you are able to see directly. Often, the people with the vantage that differs most from your own are people whose jobs are much lower level than your own. As much as you might be tempted to spend the time sharing your wisdom, you will benefit from ensuring that you hear from a wide range of people.
Second, ask follow-up questions. Everything we hear is mediated through the filter of our experiences, beliefs, and assumptions. That means that we often hear what we want to hear rather than what’s actually being said. Asking follow-up questions checks our assumptions and helps us to understand with greater depth, clarity, and accuracy. It also engenders deeper conversation and opens the way for deeper insight.
Third, repeat back what you hear. The best way to ensure that you have retained what you heard from someone else is to repeat it back to them. When you repeat back what you hear, there are two benefits. First, you figure out which aspects of what you heard from someone else you retained, and which aspects were not stored away. Second, you can have any misconceptions about what someone told you cleared up while they are still there to correct you.
A great leader not only has a strong vision and sound strategies, but they also recognize that listening is key to success. A willingness to hear what others have to say, gaining insight from different perspectives, and being receptive to new ideas all contribute to the growth of oneself as a leader. By taking the time to practice open-mindedness and active listen, you can better understand those around you. With focus and dedication, any leader can progress in their development. And with coaching, there's no limit. Coaching provides an opportunity for self-awareness, skill development, and growth in confidence which can lead to even greater achievements as a leader. So why wait? Take charge of your leadership journey today and schedule a coaching session now!
[1] https://www.fastcompany.com/90835587/good-leaders-are-good-listeners-heres-how-to-be-one-of-them
