More than half the respondents in a Harris poll indicated their biggest complaint was their bosses didn’t have time to meet with them in person.
In answer to that, Executive Coach Rebecca Teasdale said leaders need to learn to listen.
“The reason it is a problem and is hard for people starting very early in life we are trained to speak up, to have a point of view, to win the debate, to be convincing,” Teasdale explains. “Once we get into leadership roles we don’t have the habit or the muscle memory to do that well.
“Once you stop and make that shift, and start asking questions and listening, amazing things start to happen.”
She says another tool leaders can access is conversation.
“I think listening and asking questions is a game changer for leaders, and in personal relationships. It’s easy and it’s free. Yet, as people, we just don’t do it very well and we don’t do it very often.
“If you stop and pay attention to conversations for a few days you will start to see how little people listen and have real conversations.”
There is more information at trispectivegroup.com.