Leaders: Do You Know How To Listen?

Active listening helps managers and leaders uncover blind spots, challenge thinking and make better decisions.

Getty

I was raised in the suburbs of New York City, a region infamous for talking, not listening. To call it talking is perhaps misleading. Where I came from, the voice that was loudest and could speak the longest won — like a filibuster, because minds were rarely changed. In the words of Wharton professor and author of “Give and Take” Adam Grant, I was surrounded by takers: Everything is all about me.

Over the course of the last 20 years, that has changed, for me. I consistently look for ways to help others — personally and professionally. That has made me a better consultant, executive and friend. It also has allowed me to see the world through a different, more open and empathetic lens. I now focus on what the other person needs, before my own needs, as a way to build stronger relationships. I was able to do that when I stopped talking and started listening, actively.

What Is Active Listening?

Listening comes from a position of strength. Telling comes from a position of fear and control. We all listen (to varying degrees), but we rarely listen actively.

Active listening is an analytical exercise: It requires concentration on what is said — words, tone, body…