To give your followers the feedback and support they need to be successful, you need to make a genuine effort to listen when other people are speaking. Most people are waiting for their turn to speak, great education leaders speak second and listen first. While others are speaking, they use this time to fully comprehend what the person is saying and also observe their facial expressions and body language. When it is their time to speak, they have most of the information that they need to make proper responses.
Listening 101
Listening is not just about being quiet; you also need to ask the right questions. After listening to someone speak, you should always ask clarifying questions to clean up any misconceptions and get your facts straight. This, coupled with the information that you learned from listening and observing body language, will give you all of the information that you need to respond with an informed, thoughtful response.
Being a good listener gives people the impression that you are honest, trustworthy, and interested in helping them succeed. It will also help you make the best possible decision and come across as being firm, fair, and consistent. Because of this, never stop working on your listening skills, as there is always room for improvement.
A little homework
If you are not a great listener, in the coming weeks, make a conscious decision to allow the people with whom you are communicating with to speak before making your response. Do this, as if your life depends on it. After about two weeks, ask yourself, how are my interactions and relationships with others starting to change? You should notice that you are starting to understand the experiences of the viewpoints of others more fully. This allows you to be more compassionate and nuanced in your responses.
It also helps you to get to know who they really are, which is a crucial part of developing meaningful working relationships. Other people will start to appreciate what a thoughtful listener you are and see you as a magnanimous leader that seeks to understand before making assumptions. All in all, everyone wins. Keep up the good work.
