Whatever your role within the organization, the ability to listen, really hear, and understand others is crucial.
The concept of active listening takes the idea further.
Skills you need has an excellent article on the topic. I like what it says:
Active listening involves listening with all senses. As well as giving full attention to the speaker, it is important that the ‘active listener’ is also ‘seen’ to be listening – otherwise the speaker may conclude that what they are talking about is uninteresting to the listener.
Interest can be conveyed to the speaker by using both verbal and non-verbal messages such as maintaining eye contact, nodding your head and smiling, agreeing by saying ‘Yes’ or simply ‘Mmm hmm’ to encourage them to continue. By providing this ‘feedback’ the person speaking will usually feel more at ease and therefore communicate more easily, openly and honestly.
The article goes on to describe some of the techniques used by effective listeners. An easy search will turn up many more useful articles on the topic.
I saw this graphic that may be of interest.
But there is more.
You have to have the intent to listen.
I tell people that they should never go to talk to anybody. Instead they should go to listen.
Tom Peters and I discussed this in the context of “managing while…
