As I have been sitting here putting the final touches on a full day workshop for a management group, I am swimming with all kinds of thoughts in my head around the core duties of a manager. We can absolutely talk about what makes an effective manager, we can talk about the importance of feedback, conflict management, and so many other components that make a manager great, however I find myself continually going back to one main trait.
Can you guess what it is?
Think about when you have been an employee and the major complaints that you had….
Ok, here it is…listening. Everything seems to stem from this imperative skill. If a manager isn’t listening to his or her team, listening to the comments, complaints, concerns, that come forward, they can’t effectively manage, improve and enhance the team. If a manager doesn’t truly show the team that they are listening and ACTIVELY listening, they will lose the respect of their team. Confidence in their abilities will diminish and the downward spiral begins.
I consider Active Listening to be among the most important management functions, from here there are so many other things that all come into play to strengthen the management relationship and effectiveness.
Are you a great listener? What makes you a great listener? What could you improve upon?