How To Listen And Learn As A Leader

In John Baldoni's book, The Leader's Guide to Speaking with Presence, he provides these tips for listening as a leader and learning as a leader:

When Listening As A Leader:

Look at people when they are speaking to you. Make eye contact.
Ask open-ended questions, such as "Tell me about..." or "Could you explain this?"
Consider the "what if" question: "What if we looked at the situation like this?"
Leverage the "why" question: "Why do we do it this way?"
Employ the "how" question: "How can you do this?"

When Learning As A Leader:

Reflect on what people have told you.
Think about what you have not observed. Are people holding back? If so, why?
Consider how you can implement what you have observed.
Get back to people who have suggested ideas to you and thank them.
Look for opportunities to collaborate with others.

For nearly 20 years, Baldoni has coached and consulted for a number of leading companies in a variety of different businesses, ranging from automotive and banking to computers, high technology, fast food, and packaged goods.

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