Managers are inherently in a position of power and authority but as explained in a previous blog (3 Realities of Being a New Manager), power isn't the same as influence. Influence is earned, in large part, by how you collaborate with others and the forgotten skill that many managers don't strategically use is simple - listening. There are many practical benefits for managers who choose to listen to their employees. 3 Benefits Managers who listen can realize include...
1. Build Rapport - Supervisors and managers who listen to their employees can build rapport, swiftly clear up misunderstandings, and build esteem in both themselves and others. Listening is a skill that has a dramatic impact on your effectiveness as a supervisor or manager. An often mentioned attribute of respected bosses is that they "really listen to me."
2. Encourage Honesty - Listening encourages honesty, understanding, and a feeling of security in employees. As an effective listener, you set in motion a positive, mutually rewarding process by showing interest in your employees and in what they are saying. When employees know they are talking to a listener instead of a boss who sits in judgment, they openly suggest ideas and share feelings. Listening is a key way to gather information.
3. Build Confidence - Listening encourages employees to feel self-confident. When your employees share a problem with you, do you feel that it is your responsibility to solve it? If so, you are probably wasting your energy. A request for listening is usually not a request for advice. Your main task is to listen with understanding, nonjudgmentally. Maintaining an open, available stance while seeking information and showing concern is an effective, assertive style of communicating. Active listening gives the employee a chance to talk through a problem while experiencing emotional release. Given the opportunity to solve their own problems, employees feel more confident in their abilities.
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