Have you ever tried to talk to someone who wasn’t listening? For a business manager trying to make your company or team as productive and successful as possible, that can be very frustrating. And it costs money. People who don’t pay attention make mistakes.
Sometimes it’s just as important for the person in charge to listen. Maybe you’ve had a conference call with an important client and, because you were trying to “multi-task”, you weren’t sure what you had agreed to when you hung up the phone. That kind of inattention causes embarrassment and it will affect the bottom line as well.
Active listening takes patience. Work schedules can be hectic and slowing down for a minute or two to really listen isn’t easy. Why should a manager care about having active listening skills? Shouldn’t the employees just do what they are told?
A smart manager knows that his or her employees are a valuable asset. Actively listening to them shows that you respect what they have to say and you are taking an interest in them personally.
You are using active listening skills when you:
• Don’t interrupt or try to finish sentences.
• You maintain eye contact with the speaker. Don’t tap your pencil, fidget or otherwise act like you are impatient for the conversation to be over.
• Take notes. Use them to paraphrase what was said. This helps clarify understanding for both parties.
• Don’t judge. Accept that people have differing views about things. And be patient with the fact that not everyone can express themselves easily.
A little bit of active listening and you too can be the boss everyone loves!
Learn, Experience, Enjoy Global Success !
Jinsoo Terry
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