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Are you Really Listening to your Customers and Employees?
Part 2
By Shawn T. Kiley
Aloha!
Listening to your customers and employees is an essential and integral component of leadership. There are some key points to skillful listening. In our last TIPS article we discussed two of them. Now we will discus three more. Remember, listening is different than hearing. Listing is a proactive, necessary skill that requires practice and patience. So lets take a look at the final three steps to listing effectively.
Concentrate on what the other person is saying.
Easier said than done. Often times we find our mind drifting off on to other things. Here are some suggestions to avoid that. Turn and face the person. Maintain eye contact at all times. Nod your head when a point is made. Never look beyond or away from the person. Stay focused and clear and really listen to what they are saying. Do not try to formulate a response as they are speaking.
Look for the real meaning behind what the person is saying.
Often times we lose concentration and therefore lose the meaning of what the person speaking is saying. This is a acquired art. It takes intense concentration to grasp the full meaning of the speaker.
Heres how we sum it up.
Provide feedback.
If there is anything that you think you may have missed or anything that you dont completely understand, ask for clarification. People want to be heard. They need to feel the comfort of knowing that their full message has gotten across to the listener. Never take this for granted. It may seem frustrating at times to keep driving for the real meaning, but it is critical. Repeat back to the speaker what you feel they are trying to convey until you feel confident that they feel understood.
With these 5 steps to skillful listening, you are certain to improve the trust factor with your employees as well as your customers!
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Until next time... Shawn
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TIPS November 2007 Part II
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