I blog on social media topics like inbound marketing at the site SM@RT Social Media For Business. Yesterday, my post was entitled “Are You Really Listening?” My point was that a company that is not responding to what they hear from their customers is not really listening to their customers, despite their rhetoric, and I gave an example from my own experience of how ATT has listened and responded to concerns I’ve had about their U-Verse TV and Internet service.
The points I made about listening as a company also apply to our individual level leadership. Listening gets a lot of lip service (pardon the pun), but how well are we really listening?
If we don’t respond when employees come forward with concerns and suggestions for improvement, then we send them the very clear message that we are not really listening. If, however, we do something with what folks tell us, then we can earn a reputation for responsive listening. As we listen and respond, we want to do so in a way that builds a culture of communication, not complaints. Being a leader that really listens and enables people to make decisions and take action is a powerful story that our our folks can spread about us.
Is your story about listening to your people a fact or a fairy tale? Your people know, do you?
Related Posts:
How To Recognize Moral Leaders
Guest Post: How To Blow Up Your Employee Evaluation Process
You should follow me on twitter here.
Spent nearly 20 years working in the corporate world and can tell you first hand that the number 1 failure of the leadership at any level was listening to the folks that did the work. They have better ideas how to do things, they know how to make it more efficient, and they are willing to tell you…If only you listen>>>
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
April 18th, 2010 at 10:45 am
You nailed it, Larry. Leaders that don’t listen to their employees will never be great. Employees hold the keys, but leaders have to create the systems that allow employees participate in their leadership. Thanks! Bret
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