My English teacher Mr. Waiswa used to ask, ‘why do you think God gave you two ears and one mouth?’ There is so much we could achieve by listening more.
It could save marriages, companies, and nations from destruction. There is amazing creative and restorative power in the mediation round table because this is where the art of listening is most practiced. Unfortunately this stage usually follows a dispute that most times has already reached the litigation level.
So how do we listen and when is the right time to listen?
How can we use this simple communication tool to empower our employees, impress our employers and delight our customers?
Think with me on these few ways:
- Provide avenues or channels of communication that allow your team free expression:Introducing platforms like staff chat fora will go a long way in increasing team cohesion and co dependency. It is also a channel through which you will get honest feedback about policies and the Company direction. It is a well known fa
- One on one: Engage your team members on an individual basis: If you head a big organisation you can keep this at your top management and encourage them to do the same with their teams. This exposes you to much more than the workplace persona of your team members. You get to know what makes them tick and why. They get to feel valued and this increases loyalty because now they work for you…not just the company.
- Let them come up with their own Rewards and Reprimands: Encourage your team to come up with innovative ways of recognizing creativity, innovation and/or reprimanding non performance. Research shows you will get more out of a team with rewards than reprimands but if you come up with a reprimand system that is humorous and understood by all, then it might work. This should be standard and predictable, so that no one deems it unfair when one scores. It will drive healthy competition and create a healthy doze of camaraderie in the team, that will drive productivity.
- Show that you listened: Sometimes CEOs try to do this by over focusing on staff members’ family life…but that person wants to know that you value their professional opinion too. Encourage them to voice their ideas, dreams and aspirations…then act on them (if possible) and let them know it is because you listened….no one ever forgets that. You will have created a fan for life. And it will encourage them to think more be more and deliver more!