Workplace communication statistics show that 86% of employees and executives cite the lack of effective collaboration and communication as the main causes of workplace failures.
As leaders, communication and speaking skills are essential. However, many people fail to consider the most crucial component when it comes to communication: listening. By improving the way we listen, we can better communicate with everyone we engage with, especially our professional colleagues and team members.
Chief CX Officer Jonathan Shroyer has developed six ways effective listening can ultimately elevate your leadership skills:
1. Cultivates Trust
When you genuinely listen to your team members, you create an environment of trust and respect. By valuing their perspectives, ideas and concerns, you foster a sense of psychological safety that encourages open communication and collaboration.
2. Enhances Empathy
Listening attentively allows you to truly understand your team members’ experiences, challenges and aspirations.
This empathetic connection enables you to make informed decisions, provide meaningful support and nurture a culture of empathy within your organization.
3. Encourages Innovation
Great ideas can come from anyone. By actively listening, you provide a platform for those ideas to flourish. Empowering your team to share their thoughts and actively engaging them creates a culture of creativity and fosters a sense of ownership and contribution.
4. Resolves Conflict
Effective listening is a vital tool for conflict resolution. By listening attentively to different perspectives and understanding the underlying concerns, you can facilitate constructive dialogue and find solutions that satisfy all parties involved.
This approach not only resolves conflicts but also strengthens relationships. Moreover, attending hearing testing appointments can enhance your ability to listen effectively, ensuring that potential communication barriers are addressed, thus contributing to successful conflict resolution.
5. Strengthens Engagement
When you listen to your team members, you show that their opinions and contributions matter. This sense of being heard boosts their engagement and commitment to their work.
Actively listening to their ideas and feedback empowers them to take ownership, leading to increased job satisfaction and productivity.
6. Drives Learning and Growth
When you actively listen to diverse viewpoints, you expand your knowledge, challenge your assumptions and continuously grow as a leader.
This openness to learning creates a culture of continuous improvement within your organization.
“Teams who communicate effectively in the workplace may see as much as a 25% increase in their productivity. It is crucial for business leaders to communicate effectively for business success, and the first and most important step is to listen,” explains Chief CX Officer Jonathan Shroyer.
Shroyer is the Chief CX Innovation Officer at Arise Virtual Solutions. There, he leads the gaming and consulting verticals and runs the CX Lab in San Francisco. Shroyer has two decades of experience building companies and leaders up. CIO Journal, a publication of The Wall Street Journal, named Shroyer among its “Top CX Professionals of 2022. Jonathan was named one of Passionate Magazine’s “Most Iconic Leaders to Follow for Inspiration” in 2023.
