How to Cultivate More Inclusive, Productive Teams Through Active Listening
HOW TO CULTIVATE MORE INCLUSIVE, PRODUCTIVE TEAMS THROUGH ACTIVE LISTENING—SOMETHING THAT IS CURRENTLY IN SHORT SUPPLY
"We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less." –Diogenes
At the beginning of a new year most of us think about resolutions and things we would like to do differently, the things we’d like to change, or things we’d like to do better. But we begin this year so differently than in the past, with close to ten months of lockdowns, illness, tragedy, economic fallout, public discord, and a recognition that we are so far from where we should be in terms of tolerance, poverty, bias, and fair practices.
As I was having my weekly political debate with my mother, I said something to her that struck me as both an explanation for many of our current problems as well as the perfect New Year’s resolution. I was frustrated that she was only looking at one side of a situation and I said, “You are so sure your opinion is correct that you are not even willing to listen to what I have to say.” Of course, if I thought she wasn’t willing to listen, I wondered how well I was willing to listen. It seems to me that a lack of listening and an unwillingness to try to understand each other’s perspectives is at the heart of so many of our problems today—political, professional, and personal.
When I think about leadership, the inability to even listen to alternative points of view, being so sure of our own sense of “rightness,” often leads to performance failures, bad decisions, employee dissatisfaction, and a lack of teamwork and collaboration. In reality, diversity of thought leads to better ideas, innovations, and outcomes. Great leaders welcome that diversity, seek it out and embrace what others have to say.
As I think about past team meetings, I can see the various personalities in the room, all with preconceived ideas and staunchly held beliefs. Listening to each person’s ideas and perspectives, gaining consensus, making decisions, and obtaining buy-in is truly an artform; it’s the difference between finger painting and creating a masterpiece. Listening artfully goes beyond merely being quiet and present; it requires intense focus and an honest interest in what’s being said, as well as seeking to draw out ideas from those who may be hesitant to share. In the process, you gain not only additional details and ideas, but also valuable information on the filters and biases of the person presenting the information.
Steven Covey most aptly stated, "Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." This is especially true of leaders who are aggressive in their drive for performance, change, and growth. They are focused on their mission—and rightfully so—but have developed their own perspective about how to achieve that mission. They may see diversity of opinion as a potential roadblock that could slow them down and get in the way. However, it is that diversity of opinion that enables the best ideation, the best decisions and, ultimately, buy-in.
To the extent that we can remove our biases and learn from multiple perspectives, we will come to better understand the world we live in.
Putting it all together, I challenge leaders—myself included—to put active listening, listening without judgement, and seeking to understand at the forefront of our resolutions for this year.
Take a quick Active Listener self-assessment quiz to check how well you listen.
Reference Info
1. Link active listening and Customer Experience Strategies your business
2. "Active Listening," first developed by Rogers and Farson, is a therapeutic technique designed to promote positive change in the client. Active listening is a communication technique used in counselling, training and conflict resolution, which requires the listener to feedback what they hear to the speaker, by way of re-stating or paraphrasing what they have heard in their own words, to confirm what they have heard and moreover, to confirm the understanding of both parties. It continues to have a lasting influence to this day. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26715800-active-listening#:~:text=Active%20Listening%2C%22%20first%20developed%20by,facsimile%20of%20the%20original%20edition.
2. https://www.amazon.com/Real-Influence-Persuade-Without-Pushing/dp/081442015X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Real+Influence%3A+Persuade+Without+Pushing+and+Gain+Without+Giving+In&qid=1610571594&sr=8-1
3. https://hbr.org/2013/03/for-real-influence-use-level-f
4. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/leadership-communication
5. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/
