EXCEPTIONAL LEADERS...
Listen with Intention

Values Beliefs Traits Emotions Exceptional Leaders know that listening is as much a choice as it is a skill. When they decide to listen with intention, they are able to fully get all the information they need.

One can listen with a ‘learner’ mindset or a ‘judger’ mindset. Learners are open for new information and are slow down in coming to a conclusion with an opinion or judgment while listening. They have the intention of surfacing every-thing the other person has to say. They ask a lot of questions to fully explore the other person’s thinking before responding.

Listening with a judger mindset means there is no real intention to listen, one’s mind is already made up or energized to come to a judgment quickly and communicate it.

Exceptional Leaders make the decision to listen. By doing so, they get all of the information needed to fully understand what others want to say.

 

? Thought Provoker

  • Do you “decide” to listen?
  • When listening, do you try to deeply understand?
  • Do you ask questions to facilitate the other person fully communicating before you respond?
  • Do you reflect back what you heard, not only the words but also the feelings?
  • Do you notice when the internal energy builds up that may compel you to interrupt others before they have finished talking? Can you decide to not react but to fully listen with intention?
 

Then again you could be like one manager who said, “One thing that really bothers me is when people keep talking while I am trying to interrupt them.”

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