Time to Listen...Now, More than Ever

To say we are in interesting times is probably the understatement of 2020. Most of us are confined to our homes and living with a great deal of uncertainty. As managers you have to find new ways to stay connected, ensure that your team is as productive and least stressed as humanly possible, all while handling your own anxieties. We’re grateful for the technology we have that allows us to see each other and hear each other’s voices.

I wish I had magic answers for you. I don’t, but what I do know that in your role as a manager, this is the time when you

• must be as empathetic as you’ve ever been in your life; 
• need to listen to your employees as closely as you can;
• have to be a clued-in leader as we wrote about last week.

The key to doing this is paying attention to your listening skills. When I talk about listening, I’m talking about doing more than just hearing the words they’re saying. You must be listening to and understanding what they’re not saying and closely watching body language. For example, when you’re on Zoom or another video platform, if you ask an employee how he is and he says, “I’m fine”, are you seeing downcast eyes? Do the words she’s saying fit the frown on her face?

Listening is hard work, even in the best of times—and we’re certainly not in the best of times right now. Listening takes concentration. Listening is NOT waiting until the other person is finished speaking so you can talk. Listening requires focus.

One way to ensure that you are hearing what your employee is saying is to paraphrase what you heard. This allows you and the employee to clear up any miscommunication before it becomes a problem. It’s easy to do. Say, “What I just heard you say is…” and repeat what you heard. To do this successfully, you have to listen carefully, which is half the battle.

During this time of uncertainty, careful listening will make managing your remote staff a bit easier. And, becoming a better listener will make you a better manager when the world returns to whatever the new normal becomes. Also, being a good listener will help you be a better friend, husband, wife, partner, son, daughter…in other words, a better person.

You may have some down time right now, so consider picking up a copy of our book, The Manager’s Answer Book. Check out the information on page 126 on improving your listening skills.