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Listening is the ability to accurately perceive a message conveyed by another person.
Based on studies of executives, the ability to understand other people's perspectives is the biggest single predictor of executive success. Of those who fail as executives, only 24% had this skill; of those who succeed as executives, 75% have this special ability.*
Our attitude does affect our listening. If we truly want to learn or understand, we will listen much better. Listening does not come naturally to most people. It is not passive but active, demanding a lot of effort and work. To be a good active listener, you must look for underlying messages and meaning. This is done by observing non-verbal cues, sensing feelings, putting yourself in the speaker's place, and trying to understand what he/she is really trying to communicate.
Active Listening Steps
- Create a Safe Place
- Become Actively Involved
- Avoid the Temptation to Evaluate
- Search for Meaning
- Confirm Your Understanding
- Bring Closure
Listening is hard work. Take responsibility to understand the content as well as the feelings that are being communicated to you.
*The Center for Organizational Design
Until next time...
Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/
How can we overcome our differences?
Think about your answers to the following questions. (This is another great exercise to do with a group of managers).
- How can you help people feel more valued?
- How can you help people feel more empowered?
- How can you ensure that individual perspectives are better recognized?
- How can you more effectively consider your department's individual and group differences?
What trends do you see in the answers to the above questions? What actions are needed to implement these recommendations? What do you see as barriers to "valuing differences" in the workplace? What are some ways to overcome those barriers? Taking action and overcoming barriers to differences will help ensure that we can leverage the advantages of diversity.
Until next time...
Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/
Everyone wants to succeed. The desire to succeed is as natural in life as breathing, eating and sleeping. For the vast majority of people, failure is not the result of deliberate intent or desire.
Do you wake up in the morning and say, "I'm going to see if I can pick a fight with my spouse," or "I'm going to try to mess up my presentation in our staff meeting," or "I am going to see how miserable and depressed I can be?" Probably not! We experience failure in life, but not because it is our intent or desire. We want to succeed.
We Must Keep Measures of Success in Perspective
- Money
- Power
- Possessions
- Talent
- Achievements
- Beauty
- Fame
- Recreation
- Status
- Approval
What are the most important symbols of success in our society? The list above are all "respectable" measures of success. There is nothing inherently wrong with any of them, and they can bring meaning and enrichment to our lives. However, they must be kept in perspective. Problems occur when our only definitions of success are external measures. We set ourselves up to live from the belief that more is better. No matter how much we have, we imagine that we would be even happier if we had just a little more.
Until next time...
Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/
