Listening skills embody servant leadership more than any other skills. Who said that? The man who first coined the term, servant leadership, Robert Greenleaf. He quit his leadership development job at AT&T to devote himself full time to studying a promoting servant leadership. Finally, he asserted that servant leaders needed to devote themselves to listening more than any other activity.

Why do you think he asserted that? Pause for a moment and come up with your own answers. We do this in my Virtual Workshop Series, Leadership Communication™. Reflecting on such questions builds your ability to be emotionally intelligent. We reflect together to surface the wisdom of the group. What answers have you thought of?

When we truly listen to others, they feel affirmed. This enhances their self-esteem and ability to be resourceful. They can be more creative when they see that their leader values their opinions and emotions. We all know this is true from our own experience. And we see the opposite happening all the time too. Leaders giving directions without taking the time to listen. We know this tends to build passivity. Followers do what they are told, but their enthusiasm and commitment tend to wane.

At its worst, controlling leaders use the TALK method of communicating:

T = Tell them
A = Argue about it
L = Let nothing go
K = Kick fanny.

As long as the leader knows exactly what needs to be done this method gets some results. But today as complexity grows, we need people who are inspired to be creative, not passive. We need their resourcefulness to help solve increasingly complex problems.

Listening will help build their resourcefulness. So to encourage your direct reports and others to be enthusiastic and committed, listen.

Listening skills is one full Module of 4 sessions of my Virtual Workshop Series, Leadership Communication™.