One of the most noteworthy business examples I have at any point learned occurred in a gathering room in Cupertino, California. The “teacher” was Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple.
I was there as a feature of the chief group at Adobe, in a top-to-finish off gathering with Apple’s administration. My part in the gathering was little, so I had enough of a chance to tune in and watch everybody in the room cautiously.
Tim Cook astonished me. He was unassuming and veritable, investing virtually all of his energy tuning in, recognizing and gesturing. At the point when somebody pointed an inquiry at him, Tim would divert it to the leader responsible for that specific region.
It was obvious to us all that he is a splendid individual who saw precisely exact thing was going on, yet beside asking a couple reexamining inquiries, he conceded to his group. He could undoubtedly have ruled the whole discussion — each time he talked, the room tumbled to enthusiastic quietness. However he said perhaps 20 words in 90 minutes.
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The best example of active listening I’ve ever seen was provided by Tim Cook on that particular day.
Because they exhibit genuine attention and authentic engagement, really good active listeners often leave a favourable impression. By asking insightful, reframed questions, active listeners take their time to comprehend and don’t rush individuals. When done correctly, active listening makes a person feel heard without making them feel controlled.
Active listening is a key skill for all interactions, not just one-on-one sessions, as Tim Cook illustrated. The primary meeting goals listed below have made it easier for me to concentrate on active listening at all times.
Begin by trying to understand instead of speaking directly
At my company, BambooHR, we have two products: the first is our real product, and the second is our culture. I serve as the executive team’s product manager in my capacity as CEO. I must be completely aware of what is going on with both of our products in that capacity.
I can concentrate better during crucial conversations when I practise active listening with the goal of understanding. Everybody has been in meetings when no one seems to be paying attention to anyone else and everyone is just waiting their turn to speak. Every participant leaves those very disappointing moments with the impression that their issues were not heard or understood.
Being the center of attention makes it difficult to connect and communicate, especially for the person in charge. To ensure that the needs of the team are apparent and that the finest ideas for solutions are brought to the table, it is best to start with the intention to learn rather than to direct. Any leader that actively listens will ensure that their attention is not solely on issuing instructions.
Give other people a chance to shine
A leader practicing active listening quickly learns they don’t need to be the center of every narrative. In seeking to understand challenges and uncover the best solutions, a leader also gives other people the opportunity to grow and thrive.
I have a friend who put a sign above his door that reads “I.N.A.Y.,” which stands for “it’s not about you.” The job of a leader at any company is to do everything they can to help their employees succeed. Active listening from the top places others squarely in the spotlight, which leads to better ideas, more competent organizations and greater potential for success.
As a leader, you simply don’t have all the answers. Tim Cook demonstrated his understanding of this by letting the subject matter experts speak to our questions rather than insisting on being the center of attention. Active listening helps me remember that our success is not about me, but about our people and our products.
Encourage more useful criticism
As many businesses have discovered, we at BambooHR often ask our staff how the organisation might enhance their working environment. Most of the time, we get as many diverse responses as there are individuals.
In order to develop policies that enhance the lives of our people, it is our duty as leaders to delve into all of that feedback and diversity of view. Every year, I meet one-on-one with hundreds of employees to get their feedback, and active listening is an essential technique for getting to the root of experience problems and creating workable solutions.
Employee well-being is also an area where it’s more important than usual to pay attention to my “Say:Do ratio.” The practices of active listening help leaders understand the genuine concerns of employees and commit to addressing those challenges, and will have a much bigger influence on employee engagement.
Active listening doesn’t mean being invisible or less of a leader. Although he probably said fewer words than any other person in the room, my meeting at Apple was indisputably Tim Cook’s meeting by virtue of his listening. In other words, although he’s a very different leader from his titanic predecessor, he was every bit as much the person in charge.
When leaders endeavour to understand rather than just instruct, give others their rightful time in the spotlight, and encourage employees to provide practical feedback, they can create successful organisations. Using these active listening techniques in every meeting and conversation will make a strong impression and show how much you care about other people’s success.