Why bad listening habits can damage your impact as a leader
Leaders who hold themselves to a standard of always being active and collaborative listeners create a work environment that brings the best out of their team. Taking the time to hear and consider the opinions of others results in cultures of open communication and respect. This working environment leads to organizational success and unlimited growth.
CEOs and department leaders with bad listening habits, however, directly prevent their teams from collaborating effectively and stunt growth. As a Fast Company Executive Board member, I was asked to describe a real-life scenario or bad habit for leaders to be aware of and avoid. The example I provided among the 16 bad habits that can damage a leader’s influence relates to multitasking and attention management.
There are times when multitasking is effective. But sometimes, when multitasking comes at the price of being a good listener, it can be counterproductive for leaders, as I explained in this Fast Company article below.
One aspect of contributing to this piece that I particularly enjoyed was reading the great advice from my fellow board members. Marc Inzelstein of Indiggo, for example, offered the following, which I found to be an impactful perspective for leaders to keep in mind on the subject of listening.
“Talking too much and listening too little are bad for many reasons. It actively prevents good ideas from surfacing, disrupts natural team dynamics, and can cause talented people to feel disempowered. As leaders, let us seek to facilitate full team-member expression. We’ll be happy to discover a direct correlation between our mouth shut time and our team’s engagement and performance.”
– Marc Inzelstein, Indiggo – Return on Leadership