Mastering the art of active listening in leadership

Active listening is instrumental in creating an inclusive and respectful atmosphere, contributing to a positive work environment 

Emtrain’s Workplace Culture Report 2023 sheds light that employees believe that their workplaces have become less inclusive and less ethical over the past year. Referring upon insights from their 2021 research report, it is evident that nearly 44% of individuals lack confidence in their managers’ commitment to addressing reported concerns seriously. This underscores the pivotal role of leaders’ listening skills as a key well-being parameter in the workplace, directly influencing job satisfaction (Bregenzer et al., 2020). This stresses the importance of fostering managerial openness and strong relationships between leaders and employees, fostering motivation and a supportive work culture.

Active listening is instrumental in creating an inclusive and respectful atmosphere, contributing to a positive work environment. Consider the scenario where an employee, faced with a work-related problem, approaches a leader with inadequate listening skills. The consequence is a lack of a satisfactory resolution to the job-related issue, leading to prolonged dissatisfaction and potential negative impacts on overall company performance. Therefore, listening emerges as a critical predictor for job satisfaction and turnover (Bregenzer et al., 2020). Leaders are urged to cultivate and master the art of listening to effectively navigate challenges and contribute to their success as leaders. This article defines listening as a skill and outlines five key areas to help leaders enhance their active listening skills in leadership.

Accurately interpreting messages

What is listening? Listening is the skill of receiving and accurately interpreting messages within the communication process. The listening process involves several key components. Initially, the listener physically receives the words conveyed by the messenger. Subsequently, they seek to comprehend the meaning of the words and grasp the overall message being communicated. This understanding is then retained, with the listener remembering and recalling the key points of the message. Following this, the listener evaluates the message, taking into consideration its significance and criticality. This response may take various forms, such as seeking clarification through questions, offering feedback, or providing a solution to further enhance mutual understanding. 

However, if any of these steps is not executed rightly, the process of listening will be compromised, leading to an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of the communicated message. Each step in the listening process plays a crucial role in ensuring effective and comprehensive communication. 

In addition to the benefits discussed earlier, active listening provides several other advantages: (1) Understand the purpose of the message: Active listening involves clarifying and discussing, enabling the listener to better comprehend the purpose behind the message. (2) Facilitate negotiation and decision making: Individuals could negotiate effectively and make informed decisions, as a deeper understanding of the communicated information is achieved. (3) Opportunity for learning: Active listening presents an opportunity for continuous learning, allowing the listener to gain insights and knowledge from the information shared by others. (4) Receiving genuine feedback: Engaging in active listening creates an environment where genuine and constructive feedback can be exchanged, fostering a culture of open communication and mutual understanding.

How can one initiate the journey to becoming an active listener?

Many companies are adopting open-door policies, encouraging employees to freely approach and communicate with their superiors. However, this practice may pose challenges for leaders, as the constant stream of inquiries can be disruptive. The open-door policy, while fostering accessibility, may result in interruptions, even during busy or critical moments, as colleagues seek guidance or input. This situation may prompt leaders to ask employees to return at a more convenient time, creating a potential challenge as employees might struggle to secure another opportunity to connect with busy leaders due to their tight schedules. 

In some cases, leaders might continue working on tasks while an employee discusses a problem, resulting in a lack of attention and understanding from the leader, ultimately hindering effective communication. As leaders, effectively addressing these practical challenges are crucial. Failing to do so may convey the message to employees that you are not attentive or responsive, potentially diminishing their perception of your listening skills. Proactively managing these challenges not only ensures a functional open-door policy but also reinforces the leader’s commitment to being an engaged and effective communicator.

Keep eye contact

Regardless of your busy schedule, when a colleague seeks guidance, take a moment to pause your work and actively listen to them. Make sure you keep eye contact and attention, demonstrating respect for your colleagues, regardless of their hierarchical level, is essential in fostering a positive and collaborative work environment. If you find yourself occupied at that specific moment, communicate your busyness and instead of asking them to return later, allocate a specific time slot for a discussion. Even for brief concerns that can be addressed within one or two minutes, strive to provide prompt direction, avoiding unnecessary delays and demonstrating a commitment to efficient communication. This approach fosters a supportive and responsive workplace environment.

Allow your colleagues to speak: Avoid cutting them off

Some leaders tend to interrupt, rush or pose questions before employees can effectively convey their messages. This obstructs the proper recognition of the message, preventing employees from clearly communicating their concerns. In the case of work-related messages, this can be detrimental in the long run as crucial information may not receive the attention it requires. For personal issues raised by employees, the lack of proper support can lead to dissatisfaction. It is imperative for leaders to allow employees the opportunity to express themselves fully, ensuring effective communication and a supportive workplace environment.

Do not assume, do not judge

At times, when an employee expresses an idea or concern, there can be an instance that unfairly assess them. For instance, when an employee requests a leave, there might be a snap judgment that they are attempting to shirk responsibilities. However, such assumptions are fundamentally flawed. If an employee frequently takes leave, it is essential to have a conversation with them before drawing conclusions. Moreover, there are instances where individuals misrepresent facts to leaders, leading to premature judgments against others. Therefore, it is imperative to validate information before forming judgments.

Emotional intelligence

During interactions with your employees, you may encounter sensitive and emotional discussions. These conversations may involve financial concerns, personal challenges, or difficulties working with others. It is crucial to maintain emotional balance and receptiveness to understand these conversations sincerely. Given the diversity of personalities in the workplace, communication may not always be positive. Nonetheless, as leaders, it is essential to leverage emotional intelligence to navigate such situations effectively.

Take actions

A common challenge faced by many leaders is forgetting or delaying action on tasks agreed by them during discussions. Some leaders may even fail to recall these altogether. Therefore, it is imperative for effective leadership to document essential points discussed during communications. Clear follow-up on agreed tasks is crucial; waiting to be reminded again is not proactive leadership.

Listening behaviour holds significant potential in resolving various problems and can even aid in surviving traumatic experiences. Consequently, honing listening skills is paramount for enhancing others’ confidence in your leadership abilities. I trust that the points outlined here will assist you in this endeavour. 

(The writer holds a PhD (University of Colombo) and is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Professional Managers of Sri Lanka.)