Over these last two years, needs across the board have changed. Home and work environments have merged, pandemic fatigue has come and gone more times than we can count, and now we slide into this new year with grit, resilience, and hope. As we navigate the “new normal” along with the lingering reality of new Covid variants in 2022, listening abilities will be a key skill set for team members and leaders alike.
We talk a lot about being an effective communicator and how we can adapt to better our communication. Something that is easily overlooked is that being effective communicators requires us to be effective listeners. In fact, the best communicator is the best listener. The keyword is effective. We are all familiar with active listening skills, which include choosing a quiet, distraction-free environment, asking one question at a time, not jumping to conclusions or solutions, and summarizing back to the person what you’ve heard.
Let’s dig in further…
Active listening only concerns itself with the messages on the surface level. It is transactional in nature. As team leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure the longevity of our teams along with the well-being of its members. This requires a different level of engagement. So, you could say that the best communicator is an engaged listener. One way of doing this is learning to listen between the lines. Ask yourself what is not being said here and then commit yourself to further investigation. People are dealing with an unprecedented set of challenges and the needs of your team may not be easy to see on the surface, especially with hybrid workspaces. Seeking out and supporting your team requires a different level of listening.
Needs-based listening is:
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