The Best Advice I Received During a Second Interview
"Listen, listen and listen some more."
"If wisdom’s ways you would wisely seek, these five things observe with care: of whom you speak, to whom you speak, how, when, and where."
I have now learnt that listening is an essential element of effective leadership. Just as leadership is an art, so is listening. It seems so basic, but so many people listen so poorly. When people are speaking it requires that they have our undivided attention. We need to focus on them; we need listen very carefully. When listening we should notbe thinking our retort.
We listen to the spoken words and the unspoken messages. This means looking directly at the person, eyes connected -- we forget we have a watch, just focusing for that moment on that person. It’s called respect, it’s called appreciation, it’s called anticipation -- and it’s called leadership.
We all know that leaders have traditionally been valued for their communication and decision-making skills. While these are also important skills for the leader, they need to be reinforced by a deep commitment to listening intently to others. The leader seeks to identify the will of a group and helps clarify that will. He or she seeks to listen receptively to what is being said. Listening, coupled with regular periods of reflection, is essential to the growth of the leader.
"Talk to people and stop sending e-mails."
I cite something that I read recently that rang so true ... "In the new economy, conversations are the most important form of work. Conversations are the way knowledge workers discover what they know, share it with other colleagues, and in the process create new knowledge in the organization. Conversations inside and outside the company are the chief mechanism for making change and renewal an ongoing part of the company's culture. One of the many paradoxes of the new economy is that conversation – traditionally regarded as a waste of time – is in fact the key resource for competing on time." Alan Weber, co-founder of Fast Company magazine.
"It is the little things that count the most."
Bruce Springsteen sings, "It's the little things that count. It's the little things that count. It's the little things." The Boss is right. When I look back at favourable memories in the workplace, the things that I remember the most, and the things that have the biggest impact, are not the major projects that I completed.
The most memorable things are the little things that people said and did, and the things that people failed to do or say. I recall vividly receiving thank you notes from people after taking them out for a cup of coffee and a chat. I remember vividly when a supervisor of mine thanked me for helping him out of a jam. I also remember that when off work for 2 weeks with a bad back that my supervisor did not call to see how I was doing, but I do recall that some members of my staff did call. Last week was a busy one in the office and we managed to move a lot of paper - the weird thing is that I don't recall the sucess we achieved in moving forward all the paper. What I do recall is the snarky negative comment made by a peerwhen I was 5 minutes late arriving in the office because my daughter's day care was closed. What I am supremely aware of now is how the little things are the ones that count the most. I am supremely aware of the impact of the through away phrases that I used to use without a second thought - it is those small things that can make or break you.
"If wisdom’s ways you would wisely seek, these five things observe with care: of whom you speak, to whom you speak, how, when, and where."
I have now learnt that listening is an essential element of effective leadership. Just as leadership is an art, so is listening. It seems so basic, but so many people listen so poorly. When people are speaking it requires that they have our undivided attention. We need to focus on them; we need listen very carefully. When listening we should notbe thinking our retort.
We listen to the spoken words and the unspoken messages. This means looking directly at the person, eyes connected -- we forget we have a watch, just focusing for that moment on that person. It’s called respect, it’s called appreciation, it’s called anticipation -- and it’s called leadership.
We all know that leaders have traditionally been valued for their communication and decision-making skills. While these are also important skills for the leader, they need to be reinforced by a deep commitment to listening intently to others. The leader seeks to identify the will of a group and helps clarify that will. He or she seeks to listen receptively to what is being said. Listening, coupled with regular periods of reflection, is essential to the growth of the leader.
"Talk to people and stop sending e-mails."
I cite something that I read recently that rang so true ... "In the new economy, conversations are the most important form of work. Conversations are the way knowledge workers discover what they know, share it with other colleagues, and in the process create new knowledge in the organization. Conversations inside and outside the company are the chief mechanism for making change and renewal an ongoing part of the company's culture. One of the many paradoxes of the new economy is that conversation – traditionally regarded as a waste of time – is in fact the key resource for competing on time." Alan Weber, co-founder of Fast Company magazine.
"It is the little things that count the most."
Bruce Springsteen sings, "It's the little things that count. It's the little things that count. It's the little things." The Boss is right. When I look back at favourable memories in the workplace, the things that I remember the most, and the things that have the biggest impact, are not the major projects that I completed.
The most memorable things are the little things that people said and did, and the things that people failed to do or say. I recall vividly receiving thank you notes from people after taking them out for a cup of coffee and a chat. I remember vividly when a supervisor of mine thanked me for helping him out of a jam. I also remember that when off work for 2 weeks with a bad back that my supervisor did not call to see how I was doing, but I do recall that some members of my staff did call. Last week was a busy one in the office and we managed to move a lot of paper - the weird thing is that I don't recall the sucess we achieved in moving forward all the paper. What I do recall is the snarky negative comment made by a peerwhen I was 5 minutes late arriving in the office because my daughter's day care was closed. What I am supremely aware of now is how the little things are the ones that count the most. I am supremely aware of the impact of the through away phrases that I used to use without a second thought - it is those small things that can make or break you.
posted by Pete at 8:50 PM
