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Leaders need to be active listeners in order to be successful. A leader who simply dictates solutions, problems and demands to their team will find that they are continually having to deal with issues that arise because of an unwillingness by their team to communicate with them. A leader who takes a participatory role and seeks to actively engage their team in a meaningful way will gain a lot more respect and be more effective at accomplishing their goals. Ron Bonnstetter shares additional advice with us on how to be a more active listener.
Communication is the key to success in almost every aspect of our lives. When we consider our role in this process, we far too often think about giving information, talking. But the real richness of communication lies in our ability to listen. This silent skill can make the difference in our success or failure.
Most people speak at 100 to 175 words per minute, but the mind can process up to 300 words per minutes. Because of this gap, it is easy to lose attention; before we know it, we are thinking about other things. With this in mind, it is obvious the skill of active listening is crucial to both business and our personal life.
More at The Business of Listening: Gaining… | TTI Performance, Ltd.
We can begin to understand why our attention wanders at times when we are having a conversation. Every leader should have the goal of becoming a more active listener to gain enhanced communication with their team. This will help to establish a solid relationship as well as define your leadership style as an effective communicator. Actively listening is a skill that must be practiced to keep proficient. Leaders should be active listeners to most effectively communicate with their team and achieve high results.
