In this cyber world of tweets, Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogs, we have become so concerned about developing messages to put out to the world, that we are forgetting the value of listening. It’s hard to listen to tweets and posts and blogs. A smart colleague once observed that even sending email is more like a monologue than a dialogue.
If I was not able to listen to my clients I would be a failure at consulting. Often, when I listen to clients’ needs, wants, history, it uncovers important clues I need to do the job at hand. And sometimes, I hear things that make me change my course.
We talk about the value of adaptive leadership, and a huge part of that is about listening. Paying attention to what is going on outside your organization. Not just being focused on your message, but allowing your message to reflect what you are hearing.
Metaphorically, this means that to be an effective leader, we must hone our ability to look outside ourselves for answers. We have to know when to trust our internal voices and instincts, and when to tell them to “hold that thought,” while we listen to what others are saying before we issue an opinion.
Last but not least, listening is a gift to others. Everyone wants to feel heard – it says you value them and what they are saying. How do we know we are being heard if we are all about pushing messages out?
