Are you listening?

Hello, Namaste and Shalom!

Humans have been in communication since time immemorial.  A lot has been written on this topic and a lot more will be.  What’s important for you as a leader or an entrepreneur is, when was the last time you worked on your communication skills?  Just reflect on this for a few moments!

Now that you have reflected let’s look at some of the barriers.  For a leader or an entrepreneur, one of the most important skills in communicating is the ability to listen.  Most of the time leaders and entrepreneurs come with a fixed mindset to hear.  What the people in the team really want, is someone who should listen to them.  Here are a few ways that can cause a problem for not listening.

Assume

Most of the time leaders assume that they know what is going on in the mind of one or all of their team members based on body language, facial expressions, mood, and natural behavioral tendencies.  This is called mind reading.

Bias

Often leaders are biased in their listening. They are looking at confirming previously held biases.  This happens when leaders and entrepreneurs are not aware that they listening in a biased manner.  The listener isn’t tuned to what a speaker intends to communicate and interprets the communication from his own point of view.

Position

Often leaders have this belief, what can this person way down the line have to offer to the organisation.  They are often ignored and are not acknowledged.

Speaking First

There is a tendency for leaders to speak their mind about an idea or thought and then ask for the opinion of their employees or team in the hope of getting them to think and validate the position of the leader’s pet idea or theory.

These are a few ways that will end with your employees or team member stopping to communicate with you or sharing their feedback, ideas or honest opinion.  All of the above can lead to a demoralized workforce.

If a leader wants to avoid falling into this trap of communication barriers with their employees and teams, then here are a few things they can do.

Leaders have to develop the skill of being attentive and aware when listening. They have to not just give their ear but to listen with an open heart. They have to develop the art of being authentically curious when listening. They need to show their deep interest by clarifying and asking questions. They have to suspend all judgments and be open to what is being said.

These are a few of the points that you as a leader or entrepreneur need to keep in mind the next time you decide to listen to your employees or team.