Virtually every great manager I’ve dealt with during my career is a terrific listener. This is so basic an idea that it’s hard to believe there are people who don’t place a high value on good listening skills. Who can’t point to countless problems—in their own lives and in the lives of others—that developed because someone didn’t listen? (For that matter, think of how many problems listening would solve.)

    I’ll never forget my first experience with a “listening manager.” At first I thought he was just being lazy. His office door was always open and whenever I passed by I could see him sitting at his desk doing—well, doing nothing. This was my first real job, so you can imagine I was pretty surprised and a little disappointed. It wasn’t until later that I learned this manager’s secret to success: listening. He would go around and talk to everyone—really talk. (The first time he came into my office we talked for more than two hours.) By talking to everyone—and by listening—he got a good picture of how things were going, who needed help, who was doing all right, and so on. And he made his decisions based on what he had heard.

    Listening seems to be some long lost art, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re a parent (or if you know small children), you know that children are happiest with their parents when the parents are taking the time to listen and pay attention to them. Why should it be any different for a business leader?

Is the manager you admire most a great listener?

Do you listen?

Can you listen?

Does the team think the manager is listening? And that management does?

Tags: business leader countless problems decisions desk ernest hemingway first experience good listening skills job lead listen listener lost art parents succeed taking the time