Best Business Practices – Listening

Listening well is one of my many struggles. Studying this behavior the past few months has helped (I pray!). Stephen M. R. Covey describes it as: not only to really listen, but to do Listen First – to include understanding, respect, and mutual benefit.

Mr. Covey depicts Listen First as the 13th Behavior of “Leading at the Speed of Trust” and further explains its opposites and counterfeits.

Opposite:
• speak first - listening last
• not listening at all
• focusing on getting your own agenda
• not considering whether others may have information that could influence you
• ignoring other’s needs to be understood
• self-focused, ego-driven behavior

Counterfeit:
• pretend listening
• spending listening time thinking about reply
• waiting for turn to speak
• listening but not understanding the other person’s point-of-view

Listening well builds trust and is vital to good sound teamwork. Experts like Covey and Maxwell insists that listening is essential to building trust while Lencioni insists that building trust is paramount to well functioning teamwork.

Reference materials include;
• The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player, by John Maxwell
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni
• The Speed of Trust, by Stephen M. R. Covey
• Bible: 1 Samuel 3:1-3, 1 Samuel 26: 1-25, Job 2:11-13, Habakkuk 1:1-11, Luke 2:42-52, James 1:19

Are you listening to the message you are putting forth? Are you putting forth the clear message you want others to hear? What about silence? When another person is listening and only silence is the response - that too is heard.


Seek clarity in listening well (me too),

Danny

PS: tomorrow – Communication with the loan applicant