Leaders Are Listeners – Behind the Scenes
Listening is one of those skills that we take for granted. Yes, you listen to others. However, when I say, “Leaders are listeners,” I want to say that you need to improve your listening skills, so your employees feel understood. I have seen over the years that great leaders know they must listen beyond the words. In this behind the scenes, we look at ways you can improve your listening capacity.
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Leaders Are Listeners: The Transcript
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Disclaimer: This transcript was created using YouTube’s translator tool and that may mean that some of the words, grammar, and typos come from a misinterpretation of the video.
[0:01]
You’ve heard that leaders are readers. But have you heard that leaders or listeners, when you think about listening, you want to make sure that you’re doing it well? Not just doing it to respond, not just doing it to get your argument out there to influence someone else to do something the way you want it to be done.
[0:20]
You want to make sure you’re truly listening so that people on your team feel heard, seen, and understood. That means you take the time to truly let people feel heard. Let them feel seen. Let them feel understood.
[0:36]
When you listen to your employees, something magical happens, they begin to trust you, admire you. Because when you truly listen, not fake, listen, not listen to respond, not listen to, you know, so that you can put together a more careful argument to influence them to do it your way, but truly listen to what’s going on, you have this bond that’s created between you and the other person.
[1:01]
Now, as a leader, you want to make sure you’re listening, when you listen, you may physically actually put your phone, you know, in your pocket, or maybe put it on the side of the desk. Or maybe you put it in your briefcase, the further away you put it, if it’s out of sight, the more connection you have between you and the listener. Studies show that when you carry your phone in your hand, that people feel like you’re distracted, they feel like you’re paying attention to someone else or something else instead of them.
[1:29]
So when you put your phone away, you actually have a chance to build more of a connection through listening. I’m talking about listening today because I just had a chance to sit down with an executive team and ask them this question about listening. And everyone listens to a degree. But my question to you is, how could you listen more deeply? How could you listen beyond the words?
[1:50]
How could you listen to what’s really going on? Do you ask questions that allow you to get to the heart of the issue, not just the surface level? Many times I will ask someone I’m working with four wise on a topic. The reason why I asked for wise is that I want to understand deeply. I want them to feel that I really understand this. And I did this instead of inside of an executive team around someone who really likes to dance. And she talked about how she really liked to dance. And I said why? And she said because I like the movement. I like the energy that’s going on.
[2:23]
I said, Well, why do you like that? Because Well, it makes me feel good. Like, why does it make you feel good? And as you continue to explain why this is something she likes to do in her free time. The others in the room actually got a feeling for who she was at a deeper level. This happens every time you go deeper with those wise, you may not be able to do this in a team environment all the time. But sometimes you want to make sure you’re listening.
[2:48]
So deep why’s is one way. Another way to listen more deeply is to really figure out what’s going on behind the words, you wouldn’t really understand what they’re trying to say what the emotions that are going on, that are keeping them looking at something from one perspective, you’re trying to influence them to, you know, step up and take more ownership in their work, or you’re asking them to be completely bought in. You want to make sure that you are going behind just that surface level. And what’s the emotion of those things. I share all this with you because leaders are listeners.
[3:24]
When you think about your job as a leader, it’s not just to get the work done. Your job is to connect and really influence others. One way to do that is by listening more deeply than ever before. So even though you’re listening now, see if you can listen more deeply.
[3:40]
My name is Gene Hammett. I work with hyper-growth companies, their teams, the CEOs to help them continue growing. I help them get out of their own way to help them see more clearly who they are so that they can lead with more effectiveness because every employee deserves a great leader.
[4:00]
All this to be said is these little concepts I share with you through pieces of content are just part of what I do through the podcast Growth Think Tank. If you want to be a better leader, make sure you check out growththinktank.com as always lead with courage. We’ll see you next time.
Disclaimer: This transcript was created using YouTube’s translator tool and that may mean that some of the words, grammar, and typos come from a misinterpretation of the video.
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